Monday, October 27, 2008

Lessons from a Whale


Ok. So I like writing a story from a narrative account found in God's Word.


I wanted to do a different story today, and my Bible fell open to Jonah 2.


Hmmmmm...


I don't even think I can begin to re-create that one! :)


What I did find was a prayer of humble repentance by a man who tried to run away from the call of God on his life.


Jonah's Prayer

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.

2 He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD , and he answered me. From the depths of the grave. I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

4 I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'

5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.

6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God.

7 "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD , and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD ."

10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.


So, here are my not-so-super spiritual thoughts on this today:



  • Lord, God in Heaven, please - PLEASE- don't ever let me get so stubborn that I need to be swallowed by a ginormous fish to get my attention!

  • I really don't think that being swallowed by the "whale" was Jonah's punishment. I believe that event was a product of God's amazing grace. Jonah had a chance to repent and remember God.

  • Jonah had made some type of vow to God. Somehow, being in the belly of a fish helped him decide to make good on that vow. :)

  • Jonah's first rescue was was the whale swallowing him.

  • He was about to drown.

  • Jonah's second rescue was the whale vomiting him.

  • He would have either suffocated or been digested alive in the belly of the whale. Ewwwww! What if he had still been alive when he started to go through the colon... That's just gross! But - the story is true!

  • God's grace wasn't just for Jonah. His grace was for the big, evil city of Nineveh.

  • Salvation comes from the Lord - and Him alone.

Well, that is just my rambling for the day.


Lord, I submit my life and my plans in to Your hands. Help me have an obedient heart and a submissive spirit!


blessings,

:0)

dorinda





3 comments:

Anonymous said...

My husband preached on Jonah Sunday ... I'm wondering know if the Lord is trying to tell me something ... :)

Anonymous said...

Love it Dorinda!

And the moral of the story is:
you can't keep a good man down! Ha!

Thank You!
Angelia

Treasure Seeker said...

Okay, Angelia!
I am laughing my head off!!

Good one!

Shannon-
yes - West Memphis is your Nineveh!
Didn't you get that email from God?!!!
:)
love you both!
dorinda