Jonah and Romans 8:29

      I have been reading Jonah. One could talk about the Whale, or the lesson God taught Jonah. Something else struck me while reading. The sailors on the boat have gave me a revelation on a new testament verse. The verse is Romans 8:28. This verse is usually a verse we quote to bring us some comfort in a storm. However the verse is much more than a comforting verse, it is theological truth. That theological truth is what makes the verse comforting. 

      "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.- Romans 8:28 NIV"

        This verse comes alive in Jonah's trip on the boat. Jonah is running from calling that God has given him. A storm hits the boat. The sailors come to find Jonah sleeping on the boat. They wake him and tell him to pray to his god. The others on the boat don't worship the Lord. They began to take lots to see who on the boat is  the cause for the storm. 

    "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 kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?'He answered, 'I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.'" Jonah 1:7-9 NIV

    It is at this moment Jonah commands to be thrown overboard so the storm will relent.  The sailors begin to try make back to land, but they can not make it cause the storm becomes stronger. I believe at this moment they start becoming conscious of their sin. However they have to toss Jonah. It is a moment of time that has to happen to fulfill God's will. At this point they began to pray to the Lord.

     "Then they cried out to the Lord, 'Please,Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased'" Jonah 1:14 NIV

      This is only the beginning of their repentance. It is in this moment that the Father becomes real to them. They ask for forgiveness for what they are about do to Jonah. They toss Jonah overboard. It is at this point they put their other gods aside and turn to the one true living God.

      "At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him." Jonah 1:16

       Out of the storm, these Sailors find God. Quite of a few of God's lessons and grace are found in storms of the bible. Here is a situation where Jonah disobeys his calling. However God takes this act of disobedience and turns into a blessing. God worked an event into something good for his purpose and for those sailors' good. At this moment Romans 8:28 becomes real hundreds of years before Paul put pen to paper.