Video of the Day: Clip from the 2000 movie “The Perfect Storm”
Bible Verse of the Day:
Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” 7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” 9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) – Jonah 1:4-10
Biblical Connection:
Like watching an episode of the Deadliest Catch, not every fishing vessel succeeds. Meanwhile, trying to earn the trust of a crew after not making much in a season isn’t easy. Therefore, when the sword-fishing boat Andrea Gail has their most successful trip of the year, the crew is forced to head back into the Perfect Storm as the ice machine designed to keep their catch frozen broke.
The prophet Jonah faces similar weather conditions in today’s passage. Like a mighty nor’easter, the wind and waves batter the boat Jonah is traveling on. Despite the havoc happening on deck, Jonah was sound asleep in the cabin below. When you’re running away from God, your spiritual senses are off. Yet, when you’re going through a major storm, the Holy Spirit can open your eyes to discern why this is happening.
Closing Song:
Jonah needed to experience this storm and subsequent trial to place him where God wanted. This is what the apostle Paul means when he writes about how God works everything that happens in life for the good to all those who believe, Romans 8:28.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 