Just Like Jonah





At times I am afraid that my feet will slip from the path I'm walking and I'll plunge into the abyss that lies either side of the road. My failings, my disappointments, my pain, my very human-ness at times threaten to overwhelm me but just as Jonah found his salvation in the belly of a large fish, I will find my salvation in the Lord.

I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O LORD, my God.

When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.

Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.

But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the LORD.


(Jonah 2:6-9, NKJV)

Comments

SchnauzerMom said…
Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing the scripture!
Unknown said…
You know what I love about the story of Jonah? Even though Jonah ran from what God was telling him to do at first, there wasn't a single mention of God being angry with Him. I am finding that in the Old Testament, it is mentioned many times that God's anger burned. It seemed to only burn though when people turned from Him and turned to idols. Jonah didn't turn from God, he just didn't want to do what God was asking Him to do. Yes, God put him in a whale as a giant wake up call, but the Bible didn't say that God was angry with Jonah. Even when Jonah was pouting after he told the people of Ninevah to turn to God and they did, and Jonah was sitting underneath the vine that God made Him, God didn't show anger at Jonah. Jonah was acting like a spoiled brat, but God only gently scolds him (at least that is how it seems to me). It just shows how great the love of our God is. I know that doesn't really have much to do with your blog post. I just felt like sharing it :).
Jules said…
Jen, I find that really insightful and am glad you shared it. It's always intrigued me that the book of Jonah seems to just stop without a conclusion. Was there more to it originally, or is the message in those four (I think it's four) short chapters and nothing needs to be added. I've often wondered what happened to Jonah but it's obvious that Jonah isn't what the story is all about. And you've just given me some more to think on.

SchnauzerMom, the photos are from a recent road trip (I think that's what you call it) that DH, Son#5 and I took recently. We found ourselves on a rather narrow road where the land dropped away steeply on both sides. Very pretty but not for the fainthearted!