In the Belly of a Big Fish

Have you ever been asked to do something one way but you decided to do it another? In college I had a track coach who was an All-American a few years earlier in the event he was coaching me in. He wanted me and a teammate to train a certain way, push ourselves with extremely hard workouts, but we didn’t like that regimen, so we did it our own way, and most likely never lived up to our potential. Well, at least me not reaching my potential, since this particular teammate was also a great football player and played professional football for a number of years.

We are a disobedient people. We do not like to be told what to do and when to do it, even if those requests are for our own good and in our best interests. And there consequences to our actions, and sometimes those consequences are negative to us and our loved ones. 

You might be familiar with a story in the Old Testament in which Jonah was asked by God to go to the wicked city of Nineveh and bring the people there to repentance (Jonah 1:1-2). That didn’t sound like a good idea to Jonah. He apparently didn’t believe the Ninevites would listen to him nor did he want to see God extend mercy to those people. So, rather than obeying God, Jonah jumped on the next boat heading out of town, literally. He boarded a ship headed to the Tarshish (1:3). Compared to the dangers of going to Nineveh, this ship offered freedom and liberation as it sailed on the expanses of the wide open Mediterranean Sea. The lure of the unknown beckoned Jonah. Have you ever found yourself in that place?  

During the voyage, the ship encountered a storm (1:4-6) and the sailors cast lots to see who was responsible for this storm endangering them (1:7). The story tells us that it was determined that Jonah was the cause of the storm, so to save their own lives, the sailors through Jonah overboard (1:8-16).

But Jonah did not drown. It is likely that he bobbed up and down in the waters before being swallowed by a big fish and was in his belly for three days and three nights (1:17). While in the fish, Jonah cries out to God, begging and pleading, then ultimately praising God for sparing his life (Chp. 2) So, this fish really saved Jonah’s life. Even in our disobedience, God rescues us. That does not mean there will not be consequences, but in God’s sovereignty and loving care, he saves us.

The story goes on to tell us that after being vomited out of the fish’s mouth, Jonah did eventually go to Nineveh where he caused them to turn from their wicked ways, and in doing so God did not bring destruction on the land (Chp. 3). But by the tone of the text it appears that Jonah did not seem too happy to be doing this task; he was obedient in action but with a disapproving heart (Chp. 4).  

The entire book of Jonah is referenced above, in piecemeal fashion. To read it in its entirety, click here.

Have you ever found yourself bobbing up and down in the water, or maybe worse yet, in belly of a big fish?

Do you serve God only when it is convenient? Do you obey Him but mumble under your breath? Or do you serve and obey God even when it isn’t convenient and you really don’t want to do whatever it is that He is asking of you?