From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:
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. 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...
... Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 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.’
And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
I like the literalness of Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth in this story. Jonah cries out to God in his powerless state and he gets put on to dry earth.
The most interesting thing to me is that he ends up praising God. Initially, he ran away and tried to kill himself to avoid God. Then he sits in fish for three days not talking to God. Finally, he reached out to God, he shifts from asking for help to talking about how great God is.
I think this is why God inflicts and allows pain in my life: so I come to my senses. This is not God pushing me so I say good things about him. This is me responding to the understanding that I have a connection to the creator of everything.
Paul wrote: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
God, these days I have often felt like I'm trapped. I don't know how to fix things, or make them easier for my family. I see myself, my wife, and my kids struggling with loss - I can't make it go away.
God, I have called on you and you have heard my cry for help. You have strengthened me and given me hope. My salvation can only come from you.
Wednesdays | Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
The most interesting thing to me is that he ends up praising God. Initially, he ran away and tried to kill himself to avoid God. Then he sits in fish for three days not talking to God. Finally, he reached out to God, he shifts from asking for help to talking about how great God is.
I think this is why God inflicts and allows pain in my life: so I come to my senses. This is not God pushing me so I say good things about him. This is me responding to the understanding that I have a connection to the creator of everything.
Paul wrote: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
God, these days I have often felt like I'm trapped. I don't know how to fix things, or make them easier for my family. I see myself, my wife, and my kids struggling with loss - I can't make it go away.
God, I have called on you and you have heard my cry for help. You have strengthened me and given me hope. My salvation can only come from you.
Wednesdays | Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
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