JONAH AND DISOBEDIENCE

A Story…

It is a new school session and CHM 202 is the very first class to hold after a long ASUU Strike.

Two hours after, the professor sets to leave the class.

Professor Taiwo: Do have a lovely day everyone and welcome back to school. Hopefully, ASUU strikes again!

Ahhhhh!!!!! God Forbid ooooo (exclaims the entire class).

Rolayo: Can you imagine what this man is saying? Abeg oooo

Rebecca is seen with her mouth wide opened

Rolayo: Mama! Close your mouth before flies enter inside.

Rebecca: Close my mouth ke?

When Professor Taiwo made that statement, my entire ASUU break at home as a slave flashed through my eyes instantly. Ah!!! I cannot relive it anytime soon oh! God Abeg!!

Ibukun and Ebuka burst out in laughter

Rebecca: (Turns to look at them) You are laughing. This is not a funny story ooo.

Ibukun and Ebuka: Oya Sorry

Rebecca: I didn’t fall. Shioorrr!

Rolayo: Ibukun, how was your ASUU break?

Ibukun: It was fine, I guess. Something huge happened to me.

Rolayo, Rebecca, and Ebuka: What happened?

Ibukun: Do you guys remember the time I told you I was called to work for God in my church and join the evangelism department?

ALL: Yeah!

Rolayo: You joined right?

Ibukun: Omo! I didn’t at first ooo. Evangelism ke? Person go dey walk under hot sun and cold rain.

Rolayo: (sarcastically) Is that so?

Ibukun: Wait first, let me finish.

After that Sunday, they kept urging me to join but I did not want to and because they kept persisting I join the evangelism department instead of something like choir or ushering department, I left the church.

I did not go to church for like 3 weeks and then my mum and dad started complaining and asking why I had not been going to church.

I did not want to tell them the reason so, I attended another church the next Sunday. They called out first-timers and I came out.

Just as they were hosting first-timers, one of the workers walked up to me and said, “You will do well in the Evangelism Department”.

Rebecca: Eweeyyyy

Rolayo and Ebuka laugh

Ibukun: I kid you not guys. I even asked if I could join the ushering department but the worker kept saying Evangelism department.

I immediately accepted my fate, went back to my old church, and joined the Evangelism department.

Rolayo: You see your life?

Your story reminds me of Jonah in the Bible when God sent him a message to Nineveh.

God said, “Go to Nineveh, that great city and speak out against it; I am aware of how wicked its people are”

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me — Jonah chapter 1 vs 1 -2 KJV.

Guess what?? Jonah went somewhere else to get away from God and His message. That is exactly what you did!

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord — Jonah Chapter 1 vs 3 KJV.

Who can hide away from God and His will? No one!

Ibukun: True talk o. I have completely surrendered! Funny thing is, it’s not that bad sef.

Rebecca: Talking about God. Guys, I for don enter big wahala o.

So one time, during my quiet time at about 5 am, I was praying and my conscience kept pricking.

Honestly, at that point, I think it was the Holy Spirit because He kept saying, go and turn off all sockets before they restore power. I didn’t 😞

The power was eventually restored and after a while, I perceived a burning smell.

A socket was burning and someone forgot to unplug the iron from the socket.

I rushed to get it removed but before I could, it caught fire. Omo! I had to wake everybody up o.

Rolayo, Ibukun, Ebuka: Ahhh!!!

Rebecca: Thank God my dad was around. He went to the main electrical box and turned it off. That’s how we were able to put out the fire.

Rolayo: Everybody ooooo! See another Jonah!

Rebecca: What has Jonah got to do with this?

Rolayo: Everything! Your disobedience almost cost the life of your family. Just like Jonah.

His disobedience, running away from God, and boarding a ship caused God to send a strong wind that could have sunk the ship and caused the death of everyone aboard.

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 chapter 1 vs 4 KJV

Although the sailors tried, their best option was to throw Jonah into the sea when they found out he was the reason for the storm they were faced with.

The full gist dey Jonah Chapter 1.

Ebuka: Come, this one you are talking about Jonah, you just read that story abi?

Rolayo: (laughs) Yes! This morning during devotion.

Everyone laughs

Rolayo: Even animals obey God.

God sent a whale to swallow Jonah and Jonah was swallowed.

Ebuka: I cannot seem to get my head around the fact that Jonah was in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights.

ALL: Honestly.

Rolayo: God was however merciful when Jonah prayed.

God listened and showed mercy then, He commanded the whale to spit Jonah out, onto the beach.

If you read Jonah Chapter 2, that prayer deep gannn.

In Chapter 3, God even had to repeat His message to Jonah again.

Ebuka: If I were Jonah, immediately the whale spat me out, I would have run straight to Nineveh to deliver the message.

All four of them burst out in laughter

Ibukun: I am telling you, he went this time. He did not even argue.

Rolayo: But look at the stress he put himself through before he obeyed.

That was what he should have done at first, regardless of his opinions about Nineveh.

If he had not gone, the people of Nineveh would not have repented and God would have destroyed the country, which means that several people could have died.

God is indeed merciful.

Rebecca: Yes ooo. Obedience is a virtue and God is merciful

Ebuka: True, obedience is better than sacrifice.

Rolayo: Hmmm, it is well. Be obedient you all.

No story from you, Ebuka?

Ebuka: So you will refer to me as Jonah abi? No, I don’t have

(laughter)

Rolayo: Oya, let’s go for the next class before we close and open our eyes and hear that ASUU is on strike again.

Rebecca: GOD FORBID OOOOO!!!

(They all burst out laughing)

This story seeks to highlight Jonah’s disobedience to God’s instructions and how we sometimes, do the same.

You see, oftentimes, we are given instructions by God, our Father and instead of simply obeying those instructions, like Jonah, we disobey.

Whilst it may seem easy to disobey, it is the harder choice. It is much simpler and more beneficial to obey than to disobey.

So, I hope that as you read this story, you learn to set your heart on obedience and you follow through on every instruction from God.

Like Rebecca or Ibukun, if you have a story to share, please share it in the comments or send a mail to “mailtheyellowblog@gmail.com” if that’s more your style.

I look forward to reading your stories,

Damilola Aruna-Ogun.