in the belly of the whale

(my notes from CF's current series, "Jonah"  - message delivered by Pastor Todd Mullins, May 21, 2016) 

(Image from Sunday School on Pinterest) 

Disobedience comes  with a pretty high price tag.


When we choose the easy way out, three things happen:
One, we lose out
Two, others lose out because of our losing out and
Three, we realize that the easy way out is not really easy.


The short cut to Jonah's story tells us that he ended up being brought back by the storm and eventually sent to Nineveh to obey God.


But that didn't happen automatically.


Things happened inside the belly of the whale before Jonah was able to get out of it.


It is worth saying again.
That humans as we are, we busy ourselves analyzing how Jonah survived in the belly of the whale.


Realize this: 
God appointing a fish to take care of a fool is no big deal.

It is a small miracle coming from the Authority who spoke the earth, and everything in it, into existence

Because no matter how hard we try to find a flaw and express doubt in the miraculous, it would not strip God of His Holiness and Authority.


Inside the belly of the whale for three days and three nights,  things CHANGED,


For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:40) 


There are things that must change for Jonah to get out of the belly of the whale.
And it is so reassuring that even when Jonah messed up, God still answered his prayer.


Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. (Jonah 2:1-2)


In the belly of the whale, while it is being tossed up and down and round and round the rough seas, there was no one that Jonah could turn to.

Not the sailors for they have been the ones who had thrown him overboard, in the first place.

No one.
But God.



That instance of being swallowed by a whale--
 it is easy to regard it as a punishment

But it is not.

In fact, it is a provision for Jonah's rescue.


The first thing that must change before we can get past our past is :

to change our POSTURE in prayer.



For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. (Jonah 2:3-4)


Jonah's prayer posture in the belly of the whale was such that he was looking toward His holy temple

Look again toward thy holy temple


When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek (Ps. 27:8)

Seek God's face

Look toward the author and finisher of your faith
Don't run from God; instead , run TO God


don't let that set back set you back
don't let that mess up mess you up

for all we know, that setback is a set up for a come back

And as Jonah changed his posture in prayer, he also changed his PERSPECTIVE


But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. (Jonah 2:9)

Sing praises.
Choose to worship.
Let praise invade your problem

Even if we are in the belly of a whale.


Because salvation comes from the Lord.

Prayer and Praise

Don't look at the PROBLEM
Look to the PROMISE

Does God have our attention?
Don't make God get our attention the hard way

Are we listening to Him?

Listen.

Maybe He is giving us a leading on how to solve a problem
But we choose to do it our way

Do we play like God in praise
Yet play like the devil on party night?

Surrender to God before we find ourselves in the hard place
Make God first.


Witness how God gives second chances


And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,
Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: (Jonah 3:2-7)


When the whale vomitted Jonah into dry land, God issued his instruction a second time.

Jonah was sent to Nineveh and according to God's word, Nineveh was overthrown.



 Change our PATH  through obedience

The lesson from the story of Jonah tells that
disobedience is the quickest way to delay our destiny


You can't become new person if you live your old life

Make a U turn

Look up and hope again

Turn WORrying into WORship

God wants us to make a U turn

Don't miss your destiny because of a detour.
Don't let your past keep you from your future

Anytime you focus on your history
you do it at the expense of your destiny


Jonah's story is a message of grace and hope


Respond to the message.