Jonah 2:1-9
Thursday, 14 March 2024
“I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me….” - Jonah 2:2
All through Scripture we read about men and women caught in various distresses of life. These difficult times could be God-sent or the result of one’s disobedience. During these times some have turned to God for help while others haven’t. Those who’ve prayed at these crucial points of their lives have experienced the great deliverance from The One to whom they have run to.
Today’s text is one such prayer that Jonah prayed in his distress. He faced a hopeless situation when he turned his back on God. Yet when he realized his fault he knew whom to turn to, no matter how far he had gone. That turning around to the Living God is the key to solving all our troubles.
Jonah experienced these situations due to his disobedience, before the Lord came to his rescue:
• “I have been banished from your sight” (V.4) – Sin always separates. The minute we turn our back on the Lord we are separated from his love and protection. In the cool of the day when God walked into the garden looking for Adam, he was hiding because he had disobeyed God (Gen 3:8). What made him run away from God? Not doing things God’s way! That’s what happened to Jonah. It led him to sink into the depths of the sea where he couldn’t see God. If you’re still running away, stop and turn just as Jonah did, you would find Him waiting to rescue you.
• “The engulfing waters threatened me” (V.5) – Sin always brings in fear. When God asked Adam the reason behind his hiding, Adam replied that he was afraid (Gen 3:10). What had brought in fear when so far, they were having a wonderful relationship? The Bible says all who live in sin are under the stronghold of the devil who holds them as slaves to the fear of death. Jonah experienced this very threat to his life when he walked out of his relationship with God. Are you experiencing the same? It is to break this fear that Jesus came! Heb. 2:14 “…by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is the devil.”
• “The earth with its bars closed behind me forever” (V.6)- Sin denies you abundant life. (Gen 3:24) God drove out the man from the garden and kept the cherubim to guard the way to the tree of life, thus shutting him off forever from the presence of God. Sin denies us an entrance into God’s presence. How then can we enter a place that is closed to us forever? In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life!”
Did Jonah find this way to abundant life? He did!! If you haven’t, you too can. Just follow Jonah’s example. What did he do? He remembered! What did he remember?
• Earnestly and seriously he remembered the Lord and prayed (V.7) – In our deepest distress this is the first step to our victory- He hears you when you call!
• He remembered that the Source of all grace and loving kindness is found only in God and not in worthless idols (V.8). Today let’s learn this valuable lesson that only in Christ can we find the merciful Saviour.
• He remembered that Salvation and deliverance comes from the Lord (V.9). Understand that the Lord can save from any situation!
Just like Jonah you could be running away from the Lord but never forget that He is just a prayer away! He is waiting to deliver you from your deepest pit and to place you on The Solid Rock – our Lord Jesus Christ.
Quote of the day: “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” –Corrie Ten Boom
Listen: 'Sing for joy'