Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish saying ” …. “. Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon dry land.” JONAH 2:1 and 10From verses 2-9, you can read the prayer of Jonah in the belly of the whale/fish/shark.
I think he finds repentance in the belly of the fish, and not after he is spit out. In chapter one the writer tells us Jonah was in the fish for three days and nights. So, he has a few anxious moments to think about what might happen to him. He, I believe, is at the point of death, but the readers know the story goes on, so we know he will not die. Is chapter 2 the main theme of the story for the Jewish people, and for Christians ? Do not disobey God ? God will always forgive your sin and save you ? What is the interpretation for today ?
Jonah finds peace while still in danger. I think this is a good model for life. Even in the pandemic and as a new variant comes to Ontario, we fear. I must know that God will take care of me, even if my life is uncertain. When Paul talks about all the dangers he has endured ( In Second Corinthians 11 ) he still has a sense of peace/faith. Death is not the worst thing for Paul. Jesus says a similar thing, ” Not my will, but yours ” he prays to his Father in heaven. The world within us and beyond us, is the most important value to secure now, and into the future.
PRAYER We would like to run away To the ends of the universe To go way past Pluto, to finally get away from God. Sometimes, Life is so hard We get irrational and think we, Can escape the mighty and powerful God. God, Can heal us Even before we leave for Tarshish. We do not need to leave. Our hope Is that God will love us, hug us, and care for us. AMEN
Fred Soaring like Vultures lifted up by unseen Hands Trust, silent enters my fears Monica Pieper Landoni 2021
