Do not be afraid- A lesson from Jonah

     Recently my church did a sermon series on the book of Jonah. Now, if you were like me, you would think that book was about a man who got swallowed by a fish. This book is problematic for a lot of people because the idea of Jonah being swallowed by a huge fish and living in it for 3 days seems far fetched and causes disbelief to arise. Here's my stance on that particular issue. I would not want to worship a limited God. I worship a God who is capable of all things. He used Moses who had a stutter to guide the Hebrews out of captivity. He made the dead live again. He allowed an elderly barren woman to give birth. He Himself was murdered an rose again. He is capable of anything- included making a fish swallow a man and allowing him to live. But, what I learned is that the fact that Jonah was swallowed by a giant fish is really not the most significant thing that happened in this book. 
     (Here's a link to the entire book so you can read it for yourself. It's pretty short. Book of Jonah)
     So here's a little background on Jonah. In 1st and 2nd Kings the Bible tells us the Jonah became a well known prophet who told King Jeroboam to strengthen the walls around his kingdom because the Assyrians were coming. The Assyrians were a brutal war-like people who could bring massive destruction to their enemies, so the fact that Jeroboam listened to Jonah and strengthen the city walls and the people were saved was a miracle straight from the hand of God and Jonah became well known. 
     But Jonah ran away from God. In the Book of Jonah, God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, Assyria and call the Assyrians out. Understandably Jonah was scared. It would be like an American being called to go to downtown Baghdad to call out against terrorists. The problem was, Jonah did not trust God enough to go. He lost his faith in the God who had already used him to do great things. And so Jonah ran. He didn't just run spiritually and emotionally but he physically got in a boat and sailed to the furthest place in the known world at the time, Tarshish. Jonah physically ran away from God. 
     But God sent an incredible storm on the sea making Jonah's travel a nightmare. The storm was threatening to sink the ship and Jonah knew he was to blame so he told the other sailors to throw him overboard and then Jonah was swallowed by the fish. Now, this is important. God was pursuing Jonah. God was using punishment to bring Jonah back to Him. God could have let Jonah go and appointed a new prophet with a more willing heart. But He didn't. God didn't give up on Jonah. God loved Jonah so much that He did not want to see Jonah fall away. God used this trial in Jonah's life to bring Jonah closer to the LORD. That is what the Book of Jonah is about. 
      During Jonah's time in the fish, he grew closer to the Lord and had a change of heart. God commanded Jonah again to go to Nineveh and call out against the Assyrians. And this time Jonah obeyed. I can only imagine how terrified Jonah must have felt. Jonah went into the city and called out that Nineveh would be overthrown 40 days. And by God's grace, the Assyrians began to repent and worship the Lord. Even the king humbled himself and repented for his country's evil. God had mercy on Nineveh and did not destroy the city.
      This is a testimony to how our calling as Christians is not easy but it is essential, because God uses Christians to change the world. In today's culture it is often uncomfortable to open up to other people about faith. But we are not called to live an easy life, we are called to live a God glorifying life. We must love each other in the same way Christ loves us- to pursue them at all costs to help them know the love of the Lord. When we run from our calling, God does not give up on us, but he will lovingly do what He has to in order to bring us back and that can be painful but God loves us so much that He will not allow us to be lost. Our calling is to spread the love and sacrifice of Christ so that others will repent of their sins and know that Christ paid the price we could not. Christ's perfect life was sacrificed so that we can be with out merciful Lord forever. How beautiful it is that God has pursued us to the extent that He was happy to sacrifice his perfect Son so that vile sinners could be His for all eternity!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

Isaiah 41: 9-11

 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said:

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas,

    and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’

The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me;

    seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

    the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.

“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

“Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.

 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

Jonah 2: 1-9

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing- Mumford and Sons

Death in His Grave- John Mark McMillan 

Love and blessings,

Ada Grey