Live in Reverence: Jonah 1 - She Shares Truth

 Challenge.
 Have you had anything challenge you lately?
 Everyday (I should probably say most days), I join a group of women who are digging into the Word of God together. We have been challenged. We are to share what God has been teaching us every Friday based upon a scripture given to us to study and meditate upon throughout the week, and that scripture is given to us each Monday. Please join us at She Reads Truth ! And if you would also like to join in on the challenge just click on the picture below to find out more details.

This challenge started two weeks ago and I am just joining in. So really... don't feel like its to late to start!

Jonah 1

I think most of us have heard this story. You know, the story of Jonah and the big fish. But what I love about God's Word is that it is not just a book of true stories or a book about who we are. It is a book written about Jesus Christ. You can see where these events parallel. Jonah, in the belly of a fish for 3 days and then the fish spits him out. Jesus in the tomb for 3 days and then raised back to life.

But two places in Jonah 1 that really stick out to me are Jonah 1:10 & Jonah 1:16
         

Jonah 1:10

"Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said 

to him, 'What is this that you have done!' For the men 

knew that he was fleeing from the presence 

of the Lord, because he had told them."

Jonah 1:16

"Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and

they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows."

(emphasis mine)

When we hear this story, this true event. It is easy to be taken away by this amazing and mind blowing event in history. But for some reason these two verses have stuck out to me this week. This wasn't a fear of being harmed or a fear of their state. After all by Jonah 1:16 these men have already thrown Jonah into the sea, and it has calmed. This fear is a reverence for God Almighty!
Let me give you Merriam-Webster's definition of reverence.
1. honor or respect felt or shown; deference; especially: profound adoring awed respect.

I am ashamed to say that I don't find myself often enough in reverence of my Almighty God. The same God who calmed those seas, had a giant fish swallow Jonah, and who also raised Jesus from the dead. I think I get distracted by things of this world, daily things that I need to do or things that are going on around me.
My challenge for you today, for myself, is this: live in the moment.  Be aware of the gifts that God is giving you today and be in reverence of who He is! And then... start again tomorrow.