Challenge from the book of Jonah

'From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.' The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God. "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD." And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.' - Jonah 2v1-10

This is a very excellent prayer. It is a prayer of faith. Note that Jonah is still inside the pit, yet he prays: 'But you brought my life up from the pit'. Jonah has not yet been vomited out onto dry land, and yet he declares that he has been brought up already. It is a prayer of faith.

It's interesting isn't it: we, like Jonah, have learnt to hear from God, to recognise the voice of God. I, for one, am not always immediately obedient to what God tells me, especially regarding the bringing of prophetic words. I, like Jonah, sometimes run away from what God has told me to do, to say, to bring, even when I know that I heard correctly. Recently I have been challenged to bring prophetic words when I hear them, as opposed to waiting until I can build up the courage to bring them. (It is not about me, it is about God and His purpose.) There is a reason for God speaking to me at the moment at which He does - if I wait to build up courage, it becomes about myself and not about Him, and anyway, they are not my words to bring when I please, they are God's words to be brought at the point at which I hear them (or shared with whoever is leading the meeting so that they can discern through the Holy Spirit the right time for them to be brought). But God is gracious, and He still used Jonah to bring the word to Ninevah.

It is also interesting to address the point of Jonah's disobedience. When we are disobedient, we affect those around us. When a storm builds up, we should identify the disobedience and 'throw it overboard' i.e. submit it to God. Throw it away. Resolve the disobedience. Immediately the storm stopped. Immediately a stormy life can become calm.

I have also been challenged on the point of responsibility. It can seem to be more fun to live a life ruled by emotions. The highs certainly seem that way. But the lows bring one to a place in which it is hard to worship and reflect God's glory. To live with the responsibility of being a child of God himself, I must depart from a life ruled to any extent by emotions. I don't believe that emotions are bad in themselves, yet they can take over, and Jesus is the one to whom I have submitted my life. Furthermore - it is more exciting to live a life that is secure in Jesus. I believe a responsible life, an exemplary life is the one to which I am called, not one ruled by emotions. It is also the more exciting of the two. What can be more amazing than consistently living in the purposes that Jesus has for you and there being no emotional barrier to that?!

All of this is challenging me... Challenge is good!