Hello everyone! Long time no…anything, really! Since my last entry I have had a plethora of life shenanigans happening. Let’s not even discuss how my last entry was in JULY. My bad…we all know how life happens and before we know it, 3 months have gone by. Since then I have gone on what felt like a very quick vaca up north (it was actually like 5 days), had a second wedding anniversary, made my long hair short, resigned from a job, started a new job, and last but not least – officially ordered an inhaler for my cat that’s the same as the one I take twice a day. We’re both asthmatic and yes, we are the best of friends. This cat mom has officially leveled up.
For those of you that read this blog – thank you, I appreciate you, and thanks in advance for your non-judgmental attitude about my huge lapse in content production. I mentioned in one of my Facebook posts that I was going to do a longer study on Jonah and I did finish that! In…August. So here I am in October finally putting together my thoughts:
- THANK GOD for the whale. That whale got Jonah to where he wouldn’t go on his own, saving his physical body from a cold and watery demise in the process.
- We all struggle with things like: knowing what’s right and doing the opposite, wanting someone else to get what they deserve versus receiving mercy, picking and choosing which of God’s commands we will follow.
- Even in the midst of life’s storms, we have to try to remember that God is in control. We can’t possibly expect to make it through these trials relying on our own human abilities. When Jonah admitted his fault and gave up control, God provided the whale to get Jonah back on track. How many times have you been given a whale in the midst of a storm? Whether you knew it or not at the time, something along that journey was actually carrying you along.
- Sitting in that whale’s belly must have been scary for Jonah. I’m sure it was lonely in there, probably not super comfortable (whale innards and all…I don’t imagine that was pleasant). Jonah cried out for help and he knew his cries were heard.
- We don’t have to pretend that everything about God’s plan is comfortable for us. We can be honest about our feelings. Are you in the midst of a trial? Do you think it wholly and completely stinks? That’s valid! You can feel that way and then still turn to God and trust. You don’t have to pretend that the struggle is pleasant. Even if you try, God knows how you’re really feeling about it anyway. Might as well be honest, leave your turmoil in his hands, and let Him help you through it. This might look like a little conversation between you and God that could go like this, “God…this is awful. I trust you, but this stinks like someone hid an egg in the house too well around Easter and here we are at Christmas time. Help, Lord.”
- God is compassionate. He sees our suffering, is fully capable of understanding how we feel (i.e. dying on the cross…He knows about pain), and He is eagerly waiting to show us mercy when we repent and give the control back to Him.
Even after Jonah decided to obey the Lord, he STILL didn’t like God’s plan to forgive the Ninevites. Why forgive them when they acted so wrongly toward God? Why not just obliterate them and shower more love on the people who haven’t strayed? Because God is a forgiving and loving God, merciful and generous with his Grace.
If God wasn’t so merciful and loving, not a single one of us would stand a chance.
Thank God for the trials that teach us how to be more like Him, the whale’s He provides to keep us moving toward Him, and His supernatural love that is steadfast – unlike anything else in this world.
We don’t really know how Jonah’s mindset was changed after that. We know how it shifted around during the Book of Jonah, but then his story ends. Does he still struggle with obedience? Does he still wish suffering upon those who he feels deserve it? Replace Jonah with yourself. If it were your story, what would you hope it would go on to tell?
2 1 [a]From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said:
Jonah 2
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3
You hurled me into the depths,
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,[b]
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, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
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
turn away from God’s love for them.
9
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Love the Belly of the Whale 