Jonah Jonah fled from God (Jonah 1v2-3), how many times in our own lives have we fled from God?  Following our own lives and our own paths?  We know what God is trying to do in our lives, He is trying to change us into the people He wants us to be.  I feel for Jonah.  I too have had to go to the belly of sheol (jonah 2v2) before I cried out to God that my way and my choices were not working.  God hears us even when we are far away from Him with seemingly no hope for escape.  In Jonah’s prayer in Chapter 2, Jonah’s prayer is heard, God hears his voice.  God allowed Johan to sink deeper and deeper into despair until he remembers the LORD.  Let’s look at Jonah 2v7.

Now, Jonah in chapter 2v10 was vomited  back onto dry land.  But Jonah was changed.  He had been to sheol and was divinely saved by his God.  Think about the for a moment and reflect upon it.....  Reate it to your own walk.  Can we recognize the times in our lives when God truly saved us from ourselves?  Jonah was changed.  I believe he may have been changed physically  as well.  What would living inside a fish for three days and nights do to your skin?  Maybe nothing, but maybe the acid in the fish permanently marked Jonah.  One time I caught a fish, and when I cleaned it, inside there was a fish that was bleached white.  Could this have happened to Jonah?  Could this be why the people of Ninevah believed Jonah when he preached its overthrow by God?  When Jonah was preaching, he had a great salvation story to tell, his own.  His life was the example to the ninevites, that it was possilbe to repent.  The king of Ninevah in Jonah 3v8-9 must have been thinking, “that if God allowed Jonah a second chance.,That God woud give his great city a second chance too!”  In Jonah 3v10 God saw that the people changed and so He relented from destroying the city.  God had just used Jonah as a tool for his glory, most likely as a visible reminder of God’s own mercy.  What a great thing!  Jonah should have been ecstatic that God used his negative choices as an example to those in the world for change.  But, he wasnt.  Jonah was angry, he did not want Ninevah to repent.  He and his people knew God, and wanted to keep His love for just them.  Is it such a far fetched thing to think, this is why he was angry?

Onward to chapter 4.  Jonah builds himself a shelter to sit and watch the city, hoping to see the city change its mind again and for God to befall His judgement upon it.  God had another lesson for Jonah to see and hear.  A plant to shield him from the sun had grown and Jonah was very pleased with it!  Then God brought along a worm to damage the plant.  And then a storm came again into Jonah’s life, and again Jonah chose not to battle it.  Instead Jonah wished for death.  Lets look at what God had to say to Jonah at this time (jonah 4v9-11).  God explans His mercy for ninevah by using the plant as an example to Jonah.  Here the story ends and we are left to wonder if thes lessons gave Jonah a change of heart.

We have a hint in 2Kings 14v25.  Is this one verse telling us that Jonah did have a change of heart and that God used him again as a servant?  I believe it is.  Also we can look at Luke 11v29-32.  Jonah’s life was a sign for a future generation!  God does not give up on us, even when we give up on ourselves.  God will use our weakest moments in this life for His glory.  So we can be of greater service to Him and others.  So today as we reflect upon Jesus as we partake in the bread and wine.  We have the story of Jonah to look to as well, as we look inwardly and see if we are still running away, or if we are willing to use even our weakest moments to reflect His love to those around us.

Peace!