A study in separation
- Jonah,
But the LORD sent
out a great wind on
the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about
to be broken up. Jonah 1:4 (NKJV)
Jonah did his best
to escape God’s
presence and His will for his life. He expended his energies and resources to
drown out the voice calling him to Nineveh,
and the Lord actually allowed him to run for a time. But then, just as Jonah
started to relax and feel secure in his disobedience, God sent a storm.
We know what happens
next. Jonah makes
the connection between his disobedience and the peril he’s put himself and his
shipmates in. He tells them to throw him overboard, which they reluctantly do.
And then the character that makes this such a unique and memorable story swims
onto the scene:
Now the LORD had
prepared a great fish
to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three
nights. (Jonah 1:17 NKJV)
Jonah was finally
alone. In fact, it’s
hard for us to fully fathom how alone Jonah was at this point. How can you get
more alone than this? He was absolutely and utterly removed from all that was
familiar and friendly. No people to talk to, no freedom to move about, no
activities or responsibilities to distract him, no sights or sounds to occupy
him, not even sunlight can find him here inside his host!
He was as alone as
a human being can
get. And it’s here, in this utter aloneness, that Jonah finally turns to the
only thing that is with him—the presence of the Lord:
Then Jonah prayed
to the LORD his God
from the fish’s belly. (Jonah 2:1 NKJV)
God wanted this.
He wanted Jonah to go
from being someone who had turned from Him and His will to being turned towards
Him and His will. And in His infinite wisdom, He knew what it would take to
produce this change in Jonah’s heart…it took being completely alone.
Think About It…
What does this passage
reveal to me
about God?
What does this passage
reveal to me
about myself?
Based on this, what
changes do I need to
make?
What is my prayer
for today?
Lord it is your will that will bring us peace, Make me an instrument of your
Love that my life and light may be the brighten the path of others in Your Precious
name……
By Pastor Bob Coy
