Once Jonah was at sea, the Lord caused
a mighty storm to rock the boat. Jonah had gone below
and was asleep. The captain woke him and, after drawing
lots with the sailors, Jonah was thrown into the sea which
then ceased its raging.
In Jonah 1:17 we read, “But the
Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah
was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
It is interesting to note that the large fish was provided
by the Lord to save Jonah; the fish did not attack Jonah.
After the three days, Jonah prayed to God from the belly
of the fish, saying, in part, “As my life was ebbing
away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to you,
into your holy temple.” (Jonah 2:7) The entire prayer
of Jonah is called a Psalm of Thanksgiving.
Jonah 2:10 “Then the Lord spoke
to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land.”
Jonah then responded to the word of the Lord and went
to Ninevah, preaching to the Ninevites who changed their
evil ways.
This famous story is rich in symbolism
that applies to each of our lives. When we are called
to walk through an experience that seems to lead only
to pain and struggle, how often do we seek to run the
other way? We may try to find escape in the distractions
of the world: drugs or alcohol, TV, working overtime,
busy-ness, or like Jonah, we may sleep away the hours.
Yet God always provides. Every experience is an opportunity
for transformation, each one has the potential to bring
us closer to God and to the Truth that we are never alone.
Sometimes life calls a “time-out,”
such as Jonah had in the belly of the big fish. We may
find ourselves recovering from an illness or surgery,
we may have time off between jobs, or otherwise have time
away from the routine of our daily lives. These times
of rest are preparation for, or recovery from, our journey
to our private Ninevah. As we go deeper, spending time
in prayer and meditation, allowing God to work in and
through us, we learn to surrender and trust that each
experience in life can lead us into a higher place, and
strengthen our faith.
I have journeyed to Ninevah several times
over the years. I’ve experienced illness, injury,
failure and loss. Yet, in time, I’ve seen these
occasions differently, and learned to become grateful
for the gifts they bear. Like Jonah, when we finally can
thank God, we are ready to undertake the next thing life
spews at us. I’ve come to believe that there are
no random events, than each thing that happens provides
the exact lesson we need to continue evolving on our spiritual
path.
So, the next time God says “Go,”
think twice before you say “No.”
--
Rev. Carla can be
reached at RevCarla@sunriseunity.org.
Read
More: Fearless Living
- Fearless Loving -
Fearless Healing
