Praying After the Fact

 

    God gave Jonah an impactful destiny and he ran away from it.  He decided to go his own path and endangered himself and other people in the process.  When he had no where to run or hide, he decided to face God.  It took the point of brokenness for him to pray.  

    Brokenness is a good place to be humbled before God, but Jonah could have been praying and avoided a lot of his troubles.  We don't have to wait until something happens to pray to God.  We can journey with him the entire time.

    Jonah was stuck inside a fish when he finally went to God in his distress.  The belly of the fish was his tomb and temple.  It was in that desperate situation that Jonah finally acknowledged his predicament and why he was in it.  He made a vow to God that he would change.  Then he gave thanksgiving because God heard his voice and was still there for him.

    Salvation only comes from God.  God saved Jonah's life and that is great.  He got to get a taste of what eternity would be like without God.  Jonah is proof that we get second chances, but the eternal salvation is what we need to care about more than survival now.  Jonah understood and finally was at the place to face what he was called to do.  After three days of introspect and prayer, Jonah was vomited out of the fish onto dry land like being reborn.  It was time to get to work.  No more procrastination.

Jonah 2