Jonah 2:1-10 – The Great Fish Vomits Jonah Up
What could Jonah have learnt from this experience? Here are a few things that could have crossed his mind:
– You can try and flee from the presence of God, but you can’t outrun God’s sovereign purposes for your life. You can expend time and money trying to escape God’s plan, and yes, it may prove successful for a while; a few weeks, months, or even years, but in the end the will of God will be done in your life. So, the choice is either to face the difficulty the first time around; and God can ask us to face difficult things at times; or go on the run, whatever form that takes; and then through the means of a trial and chastisement be brought back by God to face the difficult situation the second time around.
– That despairing of usefulness is not only pointless but must be faced and countered. The temptation to allow a ‘pick me up and throw me into the sea’ attitude must be seen for what it is – as a dart from the devil -and be met head-on by the shield of faith.
– The reality of the sheer power of God’s grace. First experienced on the ship when he listened to the sailors call out to their various gods, and then, by God’s grace, he heard them pray to God for mercy. Then his experience of being brought up from the pit and saved by God’s provision of the great fish.
– The blessing of knowing the Psalms and framing one’s prayers using God’s words, essentially reciting back to God what God has given to us in these songs.
– Ownership of a fresh desire to fulfil his vows to God and a renewed understanding that ‘Salvation does belong to the Lord’.
Question
- What are some of the things that Jonah might have thought of as he is dry land again?
Prayer Points
- Pray that in the difficulties of life we would look for the lessons God is teaching us.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.