In The Belly of The Fish

Jonah 2 - Jonah's prayer from the belly of the fish - surrounded by darkness, hopelessness, doubts, fear, failure, despondency, despair, discouragement - totally overwhelmed by his "circumstances", no apparent way out. And, yes, from a human standpoint/point of view, there was no way out. This was the depth of despair if there ever was one. YET...we see that even though, to a great degree, Jonah was responsible for what was going on, STILL God was in TOTAL CONTROL. Jonah 1:17 says, "...the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah..." However, there was a reason, there was a purpose for this pit-experience.

There was so much that God had to break and change in Jonah, that we are told that Jonah was in the belly of the fish 3 days and 3 nights. Only after 3 days and 3 nights did Jonah pray to the Lord his God. Why didn't Jonah pray right away? Was Jonah wallowing? Was he upset about his circumstances wondering, "is this what I get for so many years of service, etc." You can put your own questions and thoughts of your own pit-experience(s). Yet we see when Jonah finally cries out in his despair and brokenness - GOD HEARS. (on a side note: there is a song by Twila Paris that is called "Every Heart That Is Breaking". It says, For the young abandoned husband left alone without a reason, for the pilgrim in the city where there is no home, for the son without a father, for his solitary mother, I have a message, HE SEES YOU, HE KNOWS YOU, HE LOVES YOU, HE LOVES YOU, Every heart that is breaking tonight, is the heart of a child that He holds in His sight and o how He longs to hold in His arms every heart that is breaking tonight, For the precious fallen daughter, for the devastated father, for the prodigal who's dying in a strange new way, for the child who's always hungry, for the patriot with no country, I have a message, HE SEES YOU, HE KNOWS YOU, HE LOVES YOU, JESUS LOVES YOU.)

Okay back to the story...In Chapter 2:4 there is hope in his prayer; 2:7 Jonah becomes resolute to look up; 2:9 Jonah worships (in the midst of despair and darkness, his circumstances haven't changed yet Jonah decides to worship. Jonah didn't wait to worship when he was free, Jonah worshiped while still in the midst of seeming despair. 2 Chronicles 20 talks about a people who in the midst of great danger and fear prayed and praised. In v. 22 it says, "Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of (the enemy) and they were defeated." It is Gods battle...He will win! Praise Him in the beauty of Holiness.)

Jonah has come full circle. Whatever God wanted to do through this pit-experience has been accomplished and so we see then that God speaks to the fish and the fish vomits Jonah onto dry land. Yes, I know, it is not a pretty picture, yet Jonah is out in the light once again. On a side note, isn't it interesting that the fish obeys the Lord immediately? Everything is subject to the Hand of God and creation seems to obey more readily than we humans.

What circumstance(s) are you in that is so difficult and hard to understand? Maybe you even put yourself in it. Know that even in the "belly of that fish" (your circumstance) God still SEES, God still CARES, God still HEARS. He is still in control, still on the throne. He DOES ALWAYS work ALL THINGS for the good to those that love Him and are the called according to His purpose.

Keep praying, keep worshiping...you will end on dry land. Praise be to God who alone does great things!!!

("Keep Singing", by Mercy Me - Another rainy day, I can't recall having sunshine on my face, all I feel is pain, All I wanna do is walk out of this place, but when I am stuck, I can't move, when I don't know what I should do, when I wonder if I'll ever make it through, but I gotta keep singing, I gotta keep praising Your name, You're the one that's keeping my heart beating, I gotta keep singing, I gotta keep praising Your name, that's the only way that I'll find healing, can I climb up in Your lap, I don't wanna leave, Jesus sing over me, I gotta keep singing)