Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish:
I called to the LORD in my distress,
and he answered me.
I cried out for help from deep inside Sheol;
you heard my voice.
When you threw me into the depths,
into the heart of the seas,
the current overcame me.
All your breakers and your billows swept over me.
And I said, “I have been banished
from your sight,
yet I will look once more
toward your holy temple.”
The water engulfed me up to the neck;
the watery depths overcame me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
I sank to the foundations of the mountains,
the earth’s gates shut behind me forever!
Then you raised my life from the Pit, LORD my God!
As my life was fading away,
I remembered the LORD,
and my prayer came to you,
to your holy temple.
Those who cherish worthless idols
abandon their faithful love,
but as for me, I will sacrifice to you
with a voice of thanksgiving.
I will fulfill what I have vowed.
Salvation belongs to the LORD.Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
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What drastic measures or closed doors might God be using to force you to stop running and finally act in obedience?
Looking at your recent actions, have you been faithful to follow through on the promises you made to God when you were in trouble?
Reflect on your actions this week:
Jonah’s action in the belly of the fish was to write a poetic prayer of surrender. Write your own “Psalm of Rescue”. Start by being brutally honest about a mess you are in (even if it’s your own fault), and end it by declaring your absolute need for God to save you.
Lord, I, like Jonah, try to hide in the depths of my own “ship” rather than in your presence. I confess that when I am lost in my own wilderness, my pride keeps me from calling to you. Forgive me for hiding from you, and grant me the faith to move toward you. Amen.
If you are also following the BibleProject’s One Story That Leads to Jesus reading plan, complete today’s reading.