You Heard Me.
'From deep inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God:
“In my distress, O Lord, I called to you,
and you answered me.
From deep in the world of the dead
I cried for help, and you heard me.
You threw me down into the depths,
to the very bottom of the sea,
where the waters were all around me,
and all your mighty waves rolled over me.
I thought I had been banished from your presence
and would never see your holy Temple again.
The water came over me and choked me;
the sea covered me completely,
and seaweed wrapped around my head.
I went down to the very roots of the mountains,
into the land whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
brought me back from the depths alive.
When I felt my life slipping away,
then, O Lord, I prayed to you,
and in your holy Temple you heard me.
Those who worship worthless idols
have abandoned their loyalty to you.
But I will sing praises to you;
I will offer you a sacrifice
and do what I have promised.
Salvation comes from the Lord!”
Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah up on the beach, and it did.'Jonah 2:1-10(GNT)
The lessons learned from Jonah are powerful. When Jonah was in trouble because of his sin against God he prayed. While under the curse of his affliction God kept him alive and he prayed. Finding himself completely alone and due to his own stupidity he prayed. Similar but different are the circumstances I might find myself in when I decide to walk away from my faith. Why? Why? Why?
Down. Down. Down. Down, he went to the complete bottom of the sea. In the total darkness he woke up to his own needs and desires. When he felt his life slipping away He prayed. He sang hymns. He offered a sacrifice. He agreed to be obedient. He agreed to give up his worthless idols and to sin no more. He acknowledged the power of the Lord to save!
When I consider this story, how could I ever complain about or walk away from You again? This story, about a simple man named Jonah, who, after finding himself able to pray in the absolute worst conditions and how You heard his cries and ordered the fish to spit him up on the beach and it did! Yes, it did! Praise God it did! Oh how much I love you Lord that even the fish obey You. You are the God that saves. You are the God that hears my prayers. You are the God that brings me back from the depths alive.
“In my distress, O Lord, I called to you,
and you answered me.
From deep in the world of the dead
I cried for help, and you heard me.
You threw me down into the depths,
to the very bottom of the sea,
where the waters were all around me,
and all your mighty waves rolled over me.
I thought I had been banished from your presence
and would never see your holy Temple again.
The water came over me and choked me;
the sea covered me completely,
and seaweed wrapped around my head.
I went down to the very roots of the mountains,
into the land whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
brought me back from the depths alive.
When I felt my life slipping away,
then, O Lord, I prayed to you,
and in your holy Temple you heard me.
Those who worship worthless idols
have abandoned their loyalty to you.
But I will sing praises to you;
I will offer you a sacrifice
and do what I have promised.
Salvation comes from the Lord!”
Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah up on the beach, and it did.'Jonah 2:1-10(GNT)
The lessons learned from Jonah are powerful. When Jonah was in trouble because of his sin against God he prayed. While under the curse of his affliction God kept him alive and he prayed. Finding himself completely alone and due to his own stupidity he prayed. Similar but different are the circumstances I might find myself in when I decide to walk away from my faith. Why? Why? Why?
Down. Down. Down. Down, he went to the complete bottom of the sea. In the total darkness he woke up to his own needs and desires. When he felt his life slipping away He prayed. He sang hymns. He offered a sacrifice. He agreed to be obedient. He agreed to give up his worthless idols and to sin no more. He acknowledged the power of the Lord to save!
When I consider this story, how could I ever complain about or walk away from You again? This story, about a simple man named Jonah, who, after finding himself able to pray in the absolute worst conditions and how You heard his cries and ordered the fish to spit him up on the beach and it did! Yes, it did! Praise God it did! Oh how much I love you Lord that even the fish obey You. You are the God that saves. You are the God that hears my prayers. You are the God that brings me back from the depths alive.
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