The Cost of Disobedience

Rev. Shine P. Thomas

Are we obedient to God? If we do not like something, the basic human tendency is we either do not do it or just keep away from that situation. Not doing God’s will and keeping ourselves busy against God’s will is all disobedience or rebellion in God’s sight.

The Lord commanded Jonah to preach to the city of Nineveh and call its people to repentance. Jonah disobeyed God and ran away from the Lord. However, God’s command to preach remained unchanged. It is impossible to run away from God. In Psalm 139:7, David says “Where can I go from the Lord?” Finally, David concludes that no one can escape from God. It is interesting to note that Jonah tried to escape from God. He took a ship to Tarshish to flee from the presence of the Lord.

The prophet headed in the opposite direction from Nineveh. God caused a storm that threatened to sink the ship that he traveled in. Jonah understood his disobedience and asked the sailors to cast him into the sea if they wanted to survive. Jonah at this point was willing to die rather than obey God. After they threw Jonah overboard, he was swallowed by a great fish. In the belly of the fish Jonah prayed to God and declared his willingness to obey the Lord.

Many times we too attempt to flee from God. We like to do what pleases us rather than what God desires for us. We devise our own plans against the will of God and pursue it to find success. As time passes by we will get to understand the consequences of our rebellion.

Our disobedience only brings us pain and sorrows. Jonah would not have been comfortable disobeying God. All through the process he would have been feeling guilty. His guilt led him to want to end his life. Jonah said, “Throw me into the sea.” Our disobedience causes loss to others also. Jonah’s disobedience endangered the lives of the people in the ship and cost them their cargo.

Many times God in his mercy gives us another opportunity to obey Him. We know the fish finally put Jonah on the land. The people of Nineveh responded to the divine warning and turned from the wicked ways, and the Lord did not destroy the city.

God’s commands do not change if we try to run away from Him. The Lord is everywhere and no one can be successful in hiding from Him. When you and I rebel against God’s plans, we bring pain and loss upon ourselves as well as others. Disobedience always has a price to pay. The good news is that God gives us a second chance to obey Him. Have you been disobeying God in any areas of your life? If so return to him and give him complete control. God delights to work through obedient people.