Jonah: Part 3
by Anne Lawrence
Jonah and the sailors took the daring step of obeying God and facing the real cause of the situation they were in. It was a hard choice. It was scary. When the sailors threw Jonah into the sea, Jonah must have thought ‘That’s it. I’m going to die.’
But amazingly – the moment they all obeyed God and took the step to face the real cause of the problem – God stepped in. He provided a rescue plan.
It wasn`t a rescue plan that any man could have thought up. It wasn`t the norm or the usual, but it was a brilliant rescue plan. Jonah was swallowed by a big fish. God sometimes works like that with us. We take a leap of faith to bring ourselves back in line with him and he provides a rescue plan which is so unexpected but so good.
As Jonah was in the sea he felt desperate and overwhelmed, but God came in. In this big fish, Jonah spoke to God and we see how, through the struggle in the water, he reached out to God and allowed Him in, and then was able to feel that sense of safety and mercy. He acknowledged that worshipping anything other than God is pointless (2:9) and re-dedicated himself to God. In the fish, the healing came. The struggles were addressed. What seemed like a disaster to man, became a restoration in God.
What I think is so amazing after all this, is that God then gave Jonah a second chance. He asked him to go to Nineveh again, and this time Jonah went. God is a God of second chances. Jonah failed, but God restored, healed and trusted him again. The Lord does that with us. He rescues us and restores us and trusts us to do important things for Him.
Prayer: Father God, I thank You for who You are; for Your heart of restoration and Your love, which enables You to see the potential You`ve put in me. Thank You for trusting me, when I often struggle to trust You. Thank You for believing in me. I choose to trust You more, and to let You heal the pain in my life, so I can live as You`ve called me to live. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Anne Lawrence joined the team at Ellel Grange in 2010 and is the Deputy Centre Director. She is married to Paul, Centre Director. Anne previously worked in education. Her last post was CEO of a College in Dublin. She has written courses, syllabi and a book for the English for Work series published by Longman. She has a heart for the broken and a passion to see people set free and released into more of what the Lord has for them. She loves to teach, listen, worship and create things.
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