Friends, we have been discussing on the danger of spiritual sleep, the series that has drawn us to the life of Jonah the son of Amittai, commonly referred to as the sleeping prophet. 
God sent him to the sinful city of Nineveh to go and cry against it, that they might repent and turn to God. But Jonah ran away from the presence of God, went down to Joppa, and boarded a ship going to Tarshish. In the past discussions, we have deliberated on the ordeal that he and other people in the ship faced. Having suspected Jonah by his colleagues in the ship that he was the cause of the boisterous waves, they subjected him to a thorough scrutiny, asking him seven questions. We have already discussed the first three questions, to which you can refer later.
The fourth question is, “What is your country?” Jonah 1:8. This question put Jonah off balance. He knew the question was of more spiritual than temporal. He would have read between the lines that God was asking him whether he was of the world or of heaven. “For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” Hebrew 13:14. Jonah knew that the people of faith “…desire a better country, that is, an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for He hath prepared for them a city” Hebrew 11:16 (KJV).
Therefore, Jonah could not answer the question as to where his country was. He knew that he had slipped off from the truth. He had lost his bearing through disobedience and he needed to return to God before he could confidently say he belonged to heaven. Maybe you also need to settle some things with the Lord before you can regain your heavenly position or before you can become a citizen of heaven. Jeremiah says; “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD. Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven” (Lamentations 3:40-41). Let us amend our ways when there is time, and now is the acceptable time when you are still alive.
Other discussions in this series:
Children of God Do Not Sleep 2
Children of God Do Not Sleep 3
Children of God Do Not Sleep 4
Tower of Grace Global Ministries 