In the Belly of a Whale

 

As a result of a missions-giving competition in our church between the girls and boys, I was the person who shared an illustrated sermon this morning. My costume was a huge whale blanket. I've never felt so warm in my life! I'll share the main points. Jonah did not want to go to the city of Nineveh. It was a violent and depraved city, and God told Jonah as the prophet of God to tell them to turn from evil and He would spare them. Jonah did not want to do this, so he bought a ticket on a boat headed in the opposite direction to Joppa. While on the ship, God sent a storm that almost destroyed the boat. The men that didn't serve God figured out that Jonah had angered God. They eventually threw him overboard at his request. They repented.  The storm immediately calmed. God then sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. While in the fish belly for 3 days, he argued with God. After 3 days, he repented, and the fish spewed him on dry land. He obeyed God, spoke to the king of Nineveh, and the whole country turned back to God. Jonah became angry at God because He showed mercy and did not destroy them. He eventually repented again and obeyed God. Here's the take-away. 1) When God tells you to do something, you aren't going to find true peace until you obey. When he was thrown overboard, the storm calmed, but only temporary until the whale showed up. Lasting peace only comes from obeying God. 2) The whale was an act of mercy. God didn't send the whale as punishment. He sent it as a safe place in the ocean until he obeyed God. The whole time in the belly of the whale, the whale was bringing him physically closer to where he needed to be. Sometimes the situations we see as a punishment is God's mercy and His bringing us closer to His will. 3) After Nineveh repented and Jonah became angry, God asked Jonah why he was angry. God had just feed Jonah from the whale and showed mercy. Jonah had already forgotten that mercy. We want God's mercy, but sometimes get angry when those who wrong us also get that mercy. Jonah had to be reminded that God's mercy isn't just for us. 

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!

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