Barf

Greetings and God's bountiful blessings to you~

Jonah is one of God's interesting and typical children.  God gave him an assignment, and he ran in the opposite direction.  To make a harrowing and long story short, Jonah found himself aboard a ship - his feeble attempt to run from God.  The Bible literally says Jonah went on board trying to get as away from God as he could get (Jonah 1:3).   

God had other plans, and He sent a really big storm.  Eventually, the sailors realized Jonah's rebellion was causing all the towering waves, and they threw him overboard. 

And then this verse:

Jonah 1:17 Then God assigned a huge fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was in the fish's belly three days and three nights.

I have tried to imagine what that must have been like for Jonah. Some biblical scholars say he was in the belly of a whale, but others insist it was a great white shark. Shocking and distressing either way.  

And while you or I will never literally find ourselves inside a fish, I think we can all identity with what Jonah was feeling when he prayed this prayer.

I call to You, Lord, in my distress and You answer me. From deep in the realm of hopelessness I call for help, and You listen. You hurled me into the depths, but I look again toward You.  The engulfing waters threatened me, but You Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, and my prayer rose to You.  Salvation comes from You!

God's response was to command the fish, and "it vomited Jonah onto dry land."

Jonah teaches us to pray right in the middle of our problem. That when we call on God He answers. Even if we feel that God has forgotten us, we still need to pray. Even when we think it's over, new life is right around the corner. Sometimes our circumstances are ridiculously rough, and it's beyond difficult to be grateful and shout out praise.  But when we do...

GOD COMMANDS THE FISH TO BARF!!!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We seek you today in our distress.  Out of our seemingly hopeless situation we call for help.  We feel engulfed in fear and worry, but we call out to You.  You bring us out of the pit. Thank you that our prayers rise to You.  Thank You for salvation. Save us and command the "fish" we find ourselves in to let us go! We want to walk upright, confidently, with faith and peace, on dry, smooth, clean land! In Jesus' name, AMEN!