Daily Bread_February 27, 2013

Title: Mercy is a God Thing

Text:

Jonah 1:17 (ESV)
¹⁷ And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah 2:1-4 (ESV)
¹ Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish,
² saying, "I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.
³ For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.
⁴ Then I said, 'I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.'
Jonah 2:7 (ESV)
⁷ When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

Observation:

Because of Jonah's disobedience of God's call to service he found himself in a hard place. Disobedience has consequences. His disobedience led to God having to discipline him. Having been humbled, Jonah cried out to the Lord for deliverance.

When he had sunk low enough Jonah found hope in the promises of God, and he cried out to God claiming his promises. Jonah remembered that the Lord had not moved; it was Jonah that had run from God, but God was still in his Holy Temple. You have to look up to God to find help when you are running from God.

Jonah 2:4 (ESV)
⁴ Then I said, 'I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.'

Jonah 2:7 (ESV)
⁷ When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

God heard this cry for help; he forgives repentant sinners.

Jonah 2:10 (ESV)
¹⁰ And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I thank you that you are a God with great patience for your disobedient children. Father, I thank you that you keep working on us until we are willing to repent, and come home to your house. I will be forever grateful for the grace and mercy of the Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

--

Acts 6:4 (KJV)
⁴ But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

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