Skip to main content

Jonah 2:5

The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
(NIV)
I have the tendency to take this very literally for Jonah. After he was tossed into the water over the side of the ship, the waves would have been overwhelming in the middle of the Mediterranean. Then as he began to sink, before he lost consciousness, the deep surrounded him and the seaweed was wrapped around his head. It is a miracle that he survived.

The story of Jonah is a truly amazing story that we tend to forget or leave for the children's classes. Kids love the story. That a man was swallowed by a whale (or big fish) then spit back up in the direction that he was supposed to go... It almost sounds like a fairy tale.

But the story of Jonah is a real story. It was a real man that was thrown into a real sea. He really shouldn't have made it, but God had a distinct purpose for him. God did something extraordinary with Jonah: He changed his heart. While Jonah was in this predicament, he turned to God, when he had been running from God.

Comments

  1. For me, Jonah is the ultimate luke warm christian......a true Laodecian.
    A surface polisher.
    He likes God ,but not too close....only when he's in a pinch.
    When God requires something of him
    he invents terrific methods of ducking, weaving, dodging & avoiding it.
    Regrettably, I know this pattern of behaviour in myself.

    JONO

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am with you. I am just glad that when God allows us to get in a pinch because of our own choices, that He will still listen to our calls for help.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Please add some additional commentary to this verse. Your input is greatly appreciated.

Popular posts from this blog

Jonah 2:10

And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (NIV) Don't you just love fresh starts. They're not always fresh, but they are a start. The God that we serve is a God of fresh starts. My mind goes to the many times that Christ reached out his hand, pulling a lame man to his feet, and saying, "...now go and sin no more." Or the woman caught in adultery, "...neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." Only a God of grace will allow a swallowed man to repent. Praise Him.

Galatians 5:25

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Wow, this is a really cool verse. Once again, there is a phrase in here that I have never noticed before. The part that says, "...let us keep in step..." It makes me think of a dance. The spirit leads, and I stay in step. When that happens, it is beautiful.

James 1:4

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (NIV) This goes right along with what I was saying in the commentary on the previous verse. Perseverance is one the most key essentials to true Christianity. In this verse you can see that perseverance leads to Christian Maturity, but it is only a whole or complete perseverance that will do this.