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He prayed: "In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to God. He answered me. From the belly of the grave I cried, 'Help!' You heard my cry. You threw me into ocean's depths, into a watery grave, With ocean waves, ocean breakers crashing over me. I said, 'I've been thrown away, thrown out, out of your sight. I'll never again lay eyes on your Holy Temple.' Ocean gripped me by the throat. The ancient Abyss grabbed me and held tight. My head was all tangled in seaweed at the bottom of the sea where the mountains take root. I was as far down as a body can go, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever - Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O God, my God! When my life was slipping away, I remembered God, And my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to your Holy Temple. Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love. But I'm worshiping you, God, calling out in thanksgiving! And I'll do what I promised I'd do! Salvation belongs to God!" (Jonah 2:2-9 The Message)
Happy Friday! Make it a great day, dear friend!
Three days in the belly of the whale is pretty much like being in the grave for three days; or a hospital bed or angry at your spouse, or frustrated with your boss or employees. Jonah took advantage of those days to reflect, think, pray, maybe use some un-Jewish words; but at the end of the adventure that I'm sure he told his grandkids, he prayed this powerful prayer. This is a modern version of the prayer found in older versions of the Bible, but its point is still there: God can save us, and does, when we cry out to Him. And as a response, we should live a life that gives thanks every day for what God took us from and to.
Let's look at the prayer in closer detail. Jonah says that he was "In trouble, deep trouble," and rather than thinking he could find answers with any number of other distractions or pick-me-ups, he prayed to the Lord God. And God answered him. "From the belly of the grave I cried, 'Help!' You heard my cry." Jonah knew that God was with him when the whale got close to the shore and vomits him onto the shore. Using great descriptions of the sea and all that is found in it, Jonah recalls the certainty of death coming to him, yet, God spared his life. Then, a call to those who do seek answers in the wrong places, "walk away from 'hollow gods, god-frauds;' and find answers in the Lord.
Jonah's attitude changed from one of fear and certainty of death, to a knowledge that God was with him, and leading him to a life of worship and praise. He also resolves to live a life of thanksgiving, and commitment; vowing to pay and do all he had vowed to do. Then his cry is "Salvation belong to God!"
What grave has a hold on you? Is it resentment or anger? Doubt and confusion? Sadness and despair? Know this; there is no grave strong enough, deep enough, or scary enough that can keep you imprisoned for long; once you cry out to the Lord, He will answer and out of that grave you will come! Do you believe this?
PRAYER: Awesome God; You have the power to break the chains of sin and the graves that come with sin. Bless this dear reader and me, seek You always, but especially when we find ourselves in the bounds and chains of sin. Lift us from whatever grave we find ourselves to the place of praise. Make my life be one of thanksgiving and praise, and may all hear me when I say that in You we find salvation! In Christ Jesus I pray, amen!
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Live a life that others want to copy!
Eradio Valverde
