Bible Reading: Jonah 1-4; Revelation 9.
Memory Verse: “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17 (KJV).
Our God is a loving father who will go to any extent to chastise his loving child in order to bring him back to the kingdom. This explains why Jonah, who was sent on an assignment, but refused to go and decided to go somewhere else was faced with a turbulence in his ship (Jonah 1:3-4). Unfortunately for his co-passengers, the ship was about to capsize but they took prompt action to find out the cause of their challenge and were able to trace it to him. He was promptly thrown into the sea and God had a fish waiting to swallow him. In Jonah 1:17 (KJV), “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
It was right in the belly of a fish where he could not raise up his hands or do any form of exercise but was significantly inconvenienced (Jonah 2:2) that he called on God for mercy and He heard him. The belly of the fish was so traumatic that Jonah called it hell ( Jonah 2:2)!.
That is also what happened to Nebuchadnezzar when he refused to give glory to God but ascribed his achievement to his hard-work. He was turned to an animal until he reasoned and gave glory to God Almighty and he was restored first as a human being and then back as the king ( Daniel 4:30-37)!
What are you going through now? That challenge could be due to God’s plan to draw you back to him. Are you running from God’s assignment or even working against God or his servant, God may have brought a storm bigger than you to ensure you come back to Him. That may be your own belly of a fish! The Almighty does not share his glory with anyone and has a way of chastising those He loves!
Are you one of the beloved of God who is running from His call like Jonah? Or are you one of those he6 has deliberately blessed but has been arrogating your success so far to your wisdom and He has brought a storm your way like Nebuchadnezzar? Well it’s a simple thing to connect or reconnect with God. All you need to do is to imitate Jonah and Nebuchadnezzar by repenting of your sin and acknowledging God as the Almighty. Just minister to Him by praising Him for the next few days and you will be amazed how He will restore you provided you are sincere and humble yourself (Proverbs 29:23).
Prayer point: Father, please restore me by your mercy.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero