I have had the blessing of being raised in a Christian home and in a Christian family so I have pretty much attended church for the entirety of my life. Thru the years I have heard and come to deeply love the good old Bible stories from the Old Testament like Noah and the Flood, Joshua and the city of Jericho, Gideon, as well as Jonah. For about the past year I have been reading the Bible through and have come across many passages, characters and stories that I did not remember ever really reading before. Additionally, I have reread many cherished stories like the aforementioned. Every week I have the privilege of teaching God's Word to an awesome group of youth and I prayerfully seek to find a passage of Scripture that God would use to change hearts and bring insight into His will. Two weeks ago I was reading on a Monday morning, unsure of what God may want me to teach, and then I opened to the little book of Jonah. I felt led to read this great story again even though I felt pretty certain I had already gleaned all I could from it. As I read through the 4 short chapters I was deeply convicted, challenged, encouraged, humbled, and filled with joy all at the same time. These past 2 weeks I have taught thru the first 3 chapters and the Lord has really been personally speaking to me through this little book.
In the life of Jonah we see a prophet by profession given a specific mission, which is to go to the city of Nineveh and teach about God. Jonah's response, like many of ours, is to do exactly opposite of what God asked him to do. He hopped on the first ship he could and sought to go 2500 miles off course to Tarshish. Jonah wanted no part of God's plan because he didn't believe that the evil Ninevites deserved God's grace and mercy. We find Jonah in the belly of a boat that is being beaten and bruised by a raging sea, surrounded by pagan sailors, and he is fast asleep. God sent the storm to get Jonah's attention and Jonah took a nap! After being aroused from his slumber by the terrified sailors, Jonah finally admits he is at fault for the impending calamity and they reluctantly toss him overboard. At this point in the story we all know what happens next; Jonah is swallowed by a whale and then the whale throws him up 3 days later. Well, that is what happens, but that is not the end of the story. Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, personally sent by God, and finally at the lowest and most desperate point of his life, in the belly of a smelly fish, Jonah finally reaches out to God in prayer and remembers all that God had done for Him. It only took a massive storm, a huge fish, and a couple of days in the guts of that fish for Jonah to come to His senses! The bottom line is that God WILL get our attention and He will use whatever means necessary to remind us of our desperate need of a Savior. At the end of chapter 2 Jonah ends his prayer with this statement, "Salvation is from the Lord." Once Jonah realizes exactly who is in control and who is calling the shots the living God appoints the fish to puke ole Jonah out. Jonah sought to run from the Lord, God passionately pursued Him, now Jonah is back where he started. I wonder if God will give Him a second chance?
2 comments:
"The bottom line is that God WILL get our attention and He will use whatever means necessary to remind us of our desperate need of a Savior."
Whose attention will He get? Who is "our"?
In the context of this passage or book, the "our" being referred to is those who know God. Jonah was a Hebrew follower of God and yet he decided to rebel and do His own thing. God used drastic measures to remind him that a apart from God nothing is possible and to break Jonah down in order to bring him back. God disciplines His children and doesnt allow them to sin successfully.
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