Jonah and the Whale is a strange- tale indeed. It has mostly been relegated to the category of myth, where exciting children’s books emerge from. You know the story well, so I won’t elaborate here.
But Jonah is an important story for us to understand. Why? Because it is all about You and Me. It’s about how we behave towards God and to those around us. And, of course, we would never have such a dramatic experience as Jonah, but each of us has our fair share of times when we run away from God’s love and presence and find ourselves in some sticky situation.
We can break fellowship with God, but we can never break our relationship- he is our Father, and therefore, he will never give up on us but always draws us back to Himself. So, Jonah has much to teach us.
The prince of preachers Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said: what is the use of grace I profess to have received which leaves me precisely the same sort of person as I was before I received it? A faith that does not lead to a drastic change of behaviour will never lead to a change of destiny.
Jonah had to be brought down to the depths to understand God’s love, holiness, and grace and how much he values others, even when they are immoral, for his destiny to change and that of others. And God wanted Jonah to value the sinful folk of Nineveh by warning them of impending doom so they could be saved. How wonderful the grace of God!
Jonah’s’ behaviour was unkind, judgemental and selfish and did not match the behaviour of his benevolent God. So, God, in his mercy, brought Jonah back into fellowship with himself using adverse circumstances.
I am awaiting a knee replacement and having cortisone injections under my kneecap to reduce swelling and pain. Years as a sportswoman are now catching up with me. I sometimes mourn for the freedom and mobility I once had; however, I am still learning lessons about God and myself due to my malaise. And I have to say, I am glad that when I wake up each day and journey through my day, I call out to God through Christ to help me get through it according to his will. And you know what? -he does; the power of the Spirit is there.
My adverse situation has made me realise things about myself that I would have never encountered had my knee and shoulder (and feet) been whole. It’s all about behaviour. The children of God will reflect the nature of their Father. And adverse situations, if we allow them, will do just that.
If you are struggling with your faith or a problematic situation, and you would like support and prayer, please contact me, and we will chat over a coffee.
In the meantime, avoid whales!
Love & Grace
Paula Rose Parish IHS
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I have worked internationally with over 40 years of experience, having a Bachelor of Pastoral Counselling and Theology and a Master of Arts in Counselling & Professional Development. BACP Life Coaching Certificate. I currently work as a Christian educator, blogger, author, and grandmother living with my two dogs in Wales, UK.
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📚Psalm 23 Unwrapped: Hope in Difficult Times.
