Jonah 1:4

Jonah 1:4 says, But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.  Jonah's actions affected not only himself, but also those he was with while he tried to run from God.  They also affected those he was supposed to go witness, or proclaim God's word, too.  We may want to believe if we choose not to obey God, or even attempt to run from God, that it only affects us, but that is not true.  Even if we don't place them in physical danger, we are putting them in spiritual danger.  We cannot effectively witness or even teach others how to follow God if we are running from Him.  God still knew where Jonah was, and He certainly knows where we are as His followers, because the Holy Spirit indwells us.  God sent a mighty tempest to get Jonah's attention.  We may have nothing more than a tempest inside us, but God will let us know when we are running from Him that He is still with us.   Verse five adds, Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.  Those mariners on the ship with Jonah were struggling to save the ship.  They were throwing cargo overboard and each calling to their God.  There are people today in the storms of life who are afraid and calling out to a god to save them.  They sometimes have to leave everything just to save their life.  Where was Jonah while all this was happening?  He was in the ship, fast asleep.  Jonah had no concern for the people of Nineveh, and he at this point had no concern for those he had put in danger.  The question for us today, as followers of Christ is, are we asleep as those around us are in danger of losing everything they have as they cry out to false gods?  Jonah had the answer to save those on the ship, but he was asleep.  We have the answer to save the lost of the world, so we need to wake up and spread the gospel.  If we don't, we leave the lost searching in vain for the answer to how to be saved.