MAKING GOOD

Jonah 2

Jonah's Prayer
1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said:

"In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me.

From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas,

and the currents swirled about me; all Your waves and breakers swept over me.
4 I said, 'I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.'
5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever.

But You brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God.
7 "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, LORD, and my prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple.
8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You.

What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD."
10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

How many times have you and I found ourselves in the belly of whale? PRAYER is the only way out. There is nobody else to turn to - but to the LIVING GOD who created you.

As my Monday night Bible study has been studying the book of Daniel on a personal level we have been challenged week after week to 'step up' - 'to commit to the LORD' - and to 'choose a life of holiness before our God'. One of the girls sent me this quote on holiness this week [I don't know who wrote it] but it was worth examining and responding to. It included just verse 9 from Jonah 2 - which made me go back and read the entire chapter.

Holiness is the foundation of honor.

Holiness is not perfection,

but set apart for a higher purpose

- no longer common or everyday,

but special and unique.

We have a special place that no one can rival

in the heart of God.

Sacred, honored, praised and defended.

Jonah 2:9 " But I, with a song of thanksgiving,

will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

Salvation comes from the LORD."

I was amazed at how Jonah's PRAYER is what began the course to healing and personal holiness for Jonah who really did not want to obey what God was asking. Examining verse 9 - what was Jonah's sacrifice? He says, "What I have vowed I will make good." That's a hard one to swallow for us if we truly ask ourselves that same question. What is our thankful sacrifice? Are we truly 'making good' on what we have vowed [in personal holiness] before the LORD - to respond in thankful obedience to whatever He asks of us? As I ask you these questions I am truly pondering them for myself. I want my commitment to the LORD to be real - not just empty hot-air-filled words - but committed words of love and devotion. How about you?

We must conclude with verse 10 as our HOPE of God's action that follows - don't miss it.

vs 10: And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

PRAYER.... activates what God has

already purposed in your life!

~s.k.brower

Looking UPward and Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[Time to Fly]