The Cost of Disobedience
Devotions for Growing Christians
The Cost of Disobedience
Jonah 1:1-5 - The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.
The story of Jonah has probably been ridiculed more than any other account in the Old Testament. How could a man possibly be swallowed by a fish and live to tell about it?! Even some Christians have a hard time "swallowing" this tale, calling it merely an “Old Testament parable.” But the book of Jonah is the true historical account of a real man who lived in the 8th century B.C. (2 Kings 14:25). Jesus had no doubts about Jonah’s experience. In fact, He even used it to predict and illustrate His own coming death and resurrection (Matthew 12:38-41).
God included the account of Jonah in the Bible so growing Christians can learn what God expects of His servants. Jonah was a servant of God, but he disobeyed the the Lord. God mercifully reached down and brought Jonah back where he belonged, but it took a major shake-up in Jonah’s life!
There are consequences when the Lord’s servants disobey, and Jonah’s experiences were all part of the cost of disobedience.
Separation
Part of the cost of disobedience is separation. Jonah "got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord " (v3). Of course Jonah couldn’t literally escape from God, but he was separated from fellowship with God. Deliberate disobedience results in broken fellowship with the Lord.
Does the Lord seem far away at times? Is there deliberate disobedience in your life? In family relationships (Ephesians 5:22-6:4)? In forgiving one another (Colossians 6:4)? In friendship with the world (See James 4:4)? Jesus said, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” (John 14:21). Obedience is the secret to fellowship with the Lord!
Shipwreck
The cost of disobedience also includes the danger of shipwreck (v4). A disobedient Christian risks losing his entire life of Christian service. Note that it was the Lord who sent the great wind and storm. God didn’t want to shipwreck Jonah. He sent the storm to stop Jonah’s disobedient flight, and to bring him back. If we disobey the Lord, He may permit disruption in our lives to turn us back to Him.
Hebrews 12:6 says, "the Lord disciplines those He loves." If you’re running away from God, there may be a "great storm" in your life before the power struggle is over. But if we persist in our disobedience and refuse to humble ourselves, our life of service for Him may end in shipwreck.
Other lives were also endangered because of Jonah's disobedience (v5). Are other lives being affected by our own disobedience? Is my boss still not a Christian because my life is inconsistent with my words? Are there shattered relationships in my family because I refuse to submit to God's commandments about a faithful marriage and family life? We build a network of tragedies when we disobey.
Indifference
Finally, the cost of disobedience involves indifference. Amidst the storm, Jonah was asleep (v5)! What a picture of the disobedient Christian - hardened to the Lord’s claims and commands. The sailors were struggling for their lives, and Jonah had the answer -- but he was taking a nap!
As Christians, we have the solution to mankind's struggles, but like Jonah, we’re often unconcerned and indifferent. People all around us are desperately trying to find purpose and direction in this life. We have the only right answer, but we just go about our own business. Holding back from telling others the good news about Jesus because of indifference is a serious and sad situation. A hardened condition of our hearts is the result of disobeying our Lord.
It may be hard to obey the Word of the Lord, but it’s better to suffer in obedience than suffer the consequences of disobedience. If you’ve disobeyed the Lord in some area of your life, repent and confess now. Our heavenly Father will forgive and restore you completely, just as He did with Jonah.
Jonah "paid the fare" of disobedience. Let’s not make the same mistake.
- Dave Reid
(Updated 2021, Ron Reid)