Jonah – Another Take

Captain’s Log

Hopeless! Hopeless! Hopeless!

What a day. Started as usual. Took on cargo and one passenger in Joppa – all making for a profitable voyage. Weather was perfect. Weighed anchor and set our course for Tarshish.

Then it happened! A great wind like nothing I had ever seen started blowing. Soon angry waves hit the ship and water like pirates pounced onto the deck. We were doomed! If there was ever a time to pray, it was then. Everyone, especially me, called out to our gods, but our cries were met with deafness.

As we hung on for dear life, we hurled the cargo overboard. That’s when we noticed our passenger was missing. I staggered below deck. There he was. Sound asleep! Completely oblivious to our danger. “Wake up, man. Don’t you realize we are headed for a watery grave? Start praying to your god. Maybe he can save us.”

In the meantime, my crew decided that this evil storm was caused by someone on board. When Jonah joined the rest of the sailors, all eyes turned to him. Questions flew as fast as the waves hit. “Who are you? Where did you come from? What is your occupation? What do you know about this awful storm?”

Over the noise of the wind and water, our passenger explained everything. “Throw me overboard, and the storm will stop,” Jonah said.

NO WAY! If his god was powerful enough to cause this storm, then he was powerful enough to punish us for killing his prophet. With that, the crew took to the oars and rowed until all strength was gone. It was useless.

We tossed Jonah overboard but not before calling on his God to forgive us for taking this action.

Jonah was right. As soon as he hit the water, the storm stopped. We looked into the water to see where Jonah was. The only thing we saw was a huge shadow slowly swimming away from us.

I must admit, I was relieved that we didn’t see the man bobbing in the water. Otherwise we would have felt guilty leaving him there. Now I am left to deal with his disobedience. All our cargo is lost. No cargo – no money.

Jonah’s name meant ‘dove’, but to us his defiant presence was more like a vulture signaling devastation and death.

Excerpt from How to Kill the Giant of Hopelessness soon to be released.