When my soul fainted upon me [crushing me], I earnestly and seriously remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple. Those who pay regard to false, useless, and worthless idols forsake their own [Source of] mercy and loving-kindness. But as for me, I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation and deliverance belong to the Lord! And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. (Amplified)
ThoughtsAt the first two poor kids, my spouse and I, shared the inexpensive graphite fly rod we purchased. We didn't care! We were pulling them in and releasing so we could catch more. Later I learned it was called "catch and release."
Have fished a lake that legend taunts no one has been to the bottom since it is an extinct volcano. Fell like Jonah wondering how big of a fish could this lake foster being bottomless? Enough of the Jonah syndrome, I focused on fishing.
Stubborn Jonah miraculously slept through the storm that moved the sailors on the ship to pray. Refusing God's direction to preach to the Assyrians, he encouraged the sailors to throw him over board. Evidently he preferred to drown than go to Nineveh. Instead they drew lots and miraculously Jonah was chosen. You know what happened next - the large God prepared fish swallows him and the storm calms.
(Jo Q)
Action PointThere are 2 ways to learn, the easy or the hard way. Obviously Jonah chose the hardest of the hard. He did not want God to forgive these vile Assyrians who led their mutilated captives by hooks in their noses; Jonah did not believe they deserved a 2nd chance! He was rebellious to the core, thinking his plan for his life was superior to God's. He thought he could live and run from God. He was living his life his way.
His life was a disaster and he continued on. After 3 days, and 3 nights in the humid 98 degree fish God provided, he gets it! With seaweed wrapped around his head (see Jonah 2:5), he prays and offers thanksgiving before he is spit up on dry land.
How many chose to live life disastrously and are too stubborn and prideful to ask for God to forgive them, to walk away from sin, and to help them. Been there, done that. It never works.
We cannot run from God. He loves us so much that He allows calamities, extreme discomfort, stress, and crushing heart hurts to bring us to the end. Then He steps in with everything we need. Like the Israelites many choose not to learn and keep hiking around "their mountain." We get to choose - we choose life or death.
All need to remember that God loves each of us, His ways are the best, He loves all Jews and Gentiles, He is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14: 33), He has a plan personally designed for each of us, and He will move Heaven and Earth to bring us to Him and into His perfect will. Remember God's promise, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future," Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV).
Sportsmen's Tip of the DayCarrying an extra third of a roll of Mountain Money (toilette paper) in a zip lock qt size bag can be a God sent miracle to a fellow unprepared hiker. Also include a written instructions on how to accept a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and a Sportsmens Devotional card (can be printed off the SD website) in the bag.
When we meet another in need, we need to remember it as "a divine appointment" orchestrated by our loving Heavenly Father. When we meet a physical need, it opens the door for us to meet their spiritual needs too.
