Jonah 1:15

Jonah 1:15 says, So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.  The sailors finally did what Jonah had told them to do, and the sea calmed.  Jonah was a spokesman for God, even if a reluctant one.  When the sailors did what Jonah, a spokesman of God told them to do, the storm passed.  If we, as God's people today, humble ourselves and obey God, we may never know the full extent of the effect it has on those around us. Jonah and the sailors saw the effect immediately.  Verse sixteen adds, Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.  Jonah did not go to witness to those sailors, but the storm and his testimony as to his reason for running followed by the calming of the sea led them to believe in the God.  God may work through us, even if we are disobedient to Him, to reach others if they know we are His followers.  I am not sure how Jonah felt.  The sea was now calm, but he was no longer in the ship.  Regardless, he had to know God was still there.  One thing we can be sure of is that wherever we go, God is there.  Jonah may have been attempting to desert God, but God had not deserted him.  We can never outrun God, no matter how hard or how often we try.  Once we accept Christ as our Savior, we are His forever.  Life may get stormy when we are not following God's will, but He will never desert Him.  Jonah felt that what he wanted was more important than what God wanted, and we may at times feel the same way.  Jonah found that life out of the will of God was dangerous, and the same is true for us today.