Watch where you are going!

He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land." (Jonah 1:9)

A pony who escaped from a circus in Germany tried to board a tram in its getaway attempt, only to be prevented by the driver and other passengers. The stallion was waiting patiently with people at a tram stop in central Germany, and wasn't shy about trying to board when the doors opened. Other passengers and the tram driver were not in favor and held the animal back. It was later known that the pony had just escaped from a circus that was in town. Circus employees finally put an end to the pony's adventure by taking it back.

Jonah the prophet, was told by God to go to the city of Nineveh and tell them of God's impending judgement upon the city's inhabitants. Instead he ran away and headed for Tarshish in a ship. He lay fast asleep below the deck though a storm had hit the ship.

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, and we will not perish." 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. So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" (Jonah 1:6-8)

And that is when Jonah gave the answer that we read in the title verse. True he was a worshipper of God Almighty, but he had defied the orders of the Lord. Thus the storm. Jonah advised the sailors to throw him in the sea so that the storm would subside. They threw Jonah into the sea and he was swallowed by a fish in whose belly he was for three days and three nights. There he repented and the fish vomited him onto dry land. He submitted to God's command to go to Nineveh and told the inhabitants of God's judgement coming upon them. They repented and God withheld his judgement upon them.

The Bible advices us,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

Have you been going astray lately? Better to obey the voice of the Lord and have peace rather than disobey and land in troubled waters.