Learning from Jonah

Here lately I have really been doing a lot of soul searching and trying to figure out where God is leading me next. Needless to say I've been reading a lot of devotionals and scripture. One of the biblical stories that has really captured me in the past few weeks has been the story of Jonah.

Being a pastor's daughter, I have grown up knowing the story of Jonah. You know... man runs from god, gets tossed overboard and swallowed by a giant fish, three days later is spit out and goes on to bring God's message to Nineveh like he was originally called to. But what I had never even read before was what Jonah's turning point was.

The book of Jonah is only 4 chapters long, and right there in the middle, you find Jonah's prayer in chapter 2. I believe that the biggest lesson can be learned from seeing how Jonah got back on track with God.

Jonah had made the ultimate mistake of believing that he knew better than God what was best for his life. Let's be real clear about this: God always knows best. It may make absolutely no sense to you, but if God is calling you to it, you better go. Jonah didn't listen and he ended up in the belly of a giant fish. After being thrown overboard. After be caught in a massive storm. Sounds fun, right? I didn't think so either.

So how did Jonah turn it around and get back on track? Well while he was at his lowest point, after all, he was in the belly of a fish, Jonah called out to God with a chapter long prayer. With a prayer of submission and praise, Jonah submitted his life to God and allowed himself to become the prophet that God had called him to be.

Only when we submit to God's will in our lives are we able to truly become what God has called us to be.

I have included Jonah's prayer below. I pray that you will find God's calling in your life and will submit yourselves to it and I ask that you will pray the same for me. God has great things planned for us. We just have to be willing to reach for them.

Your Fellow Water Walker,
Ashlee

Jonah 2:

Jonah's Prayer

 ¹ Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish:     ² I called to the LORD in my distress,
    and He answered me.
    I cried out for help in the belly of Sheol;
    You heard my voice. 
    ³ You threw me into the depths,
    into the heart of the seas,
    and the current  overcame me.
    All Your breakers and Your billows swept over me.
    ⁴ But I said: I have been banished
    from Your sight,
    yet I will look once more
    toward Your holy temple.
    ⁵ The waters engulfed me up to the neck;
    the watery depths overcame me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.
    ⁶ I sank to the foundations of the mountains;
    the earth with its prison bars closed behind me forever!
    But You raised my life  from the Pit, LORD my God!
    ⁷ As my life was fading away,
    I remembered the LORD.
    My prayer came to You,
    to Your holy temple.
    ⁸ Those who cling to worthless idols
    forsake faithful love,
    ⁹ but as for me, I will sacrifice to You
    with a voice of thanksgiving.
    I will fulfill  what I have vowed.
    Salvation  is from the LORD!
    ¹⁰ Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.