Jonah heard the word of the Lord telling him to go to Nineveh.  His response was, “WHO ME?  Go WHERE?”

Jonah sneered at God’s plan.  You can almost see the word “NINEVEH” echoing off his lips!  He immediately packed up his bags and ran in the opposite direction from Nineveh.  He had a mind of his own.  His strong will and independent streak sent him bolting away from God.  His flagrant revolt catapulted him into a violent storm at sea.  As he was thrown overboard, he became enveloped by the very waters that wake God’s grace.

(Illustration by Robert Florczak from “The Bible for Children” )

Jonah was swallowed up, captured by God through the mouth of a whale.  Inside that belly of a place, Jonah prayed to God while God held him.

I love the title of this ink drawing by Maureen Carey…”Awake in the Presence of God”.  It is found in “The Artful Journal” which Maureen authored along with Raymond Fox and Jacqueline Penney. In their words the book is dedicated “To all seekers…those daring to take the journey to the very core of self and spirit.”  Maureen gives us another image along with her writing entitled “Saturday Morning”…

What seemed to be the pit was the very place that became God’s holy temple.             (Jonah 2:5-7).  It was an epiphany which allowed Jonah to let go of his own way and embrace the way of God.  Jonah went to Nineveh and spoke God’s word.  The people believed God, all of them…”from the greatest of them to the least of them”.

Wow!  God had something very important for Jonah to do!

Pondering…

When have you felt your life was in the “pit”?

How has God redeemed something in your life and turned it into something good?

nk