Jonah 2

Jonah 2:1-10

Running to God

Secular:

Hot Stove… pull back
Yelled at… yell back
Reflex… to bad situation
How we respond… naturally
REACT…

Anger, frustration…
Get upset… sad, despondent
High adrenaline
Prepared for “fight or flight”

We need to learn to run TO GOD… not run away or fight it… but seek God… always (but especially in our times of greatest need).

Biblical:

NAU Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. 3 "For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. 4 "So I said, 'I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.' 5 "Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 "I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. 7 "While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 "Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness, 9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD." 10 Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

Personal:

Utility… Usefulness is not the reason for relationship…

Might be in the business world…

It is not about keeping score…

What are we looking for?

Good Teeth
Strong legs
And a pedigree… is buying a horse

It is about self sacrifice…

Proximity
Dedication
Commitment

Bridge:

Whether Jonah wrote this in this order…

Whether it was after the events of 1,3,4….

It shows that at some point he was ready to come back to God…

n We need to develop a relationship that in our reflexes… we don’t run away (flee) God… nor do we want to fight God… what we want is to be able…

n James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials…

n We want to respond to our God and Saviour… with thanksgiving and with hope…

Body:

Jonah’s Despair…

Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. 3 "For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. 4 "So I said, 'I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.' 5 "Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 "I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.

Psalm 13:1 For the choir director. A Psalm of David. How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
Natural reaction…

n Luke’s foot… act naturally

§ Protect and heal

§ Adults loose that ability

§ Don’t respond to pain properly…

Apostle Paul… how did he react…

n Desperate for healing for a malady or painful affliction…

n Took it to the Lord…

§ In perspective

NAU 2 Corinthians 12:7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me-- to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 11 I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody.

We are not to be a bunch of happy-go-luckies…
We are to bring our concern…
As Jonah did… our reflex needs to be to turn to God…

n In the dire situations how is it then we can turn away… (Angry with God)

n God wants us to depend on him… when it gets a little snakey… don’t run from me… run to me…

THE CENTRE OF GOD”S WILL IS NOT SAFE!!

n THE CENTRE OF GOD’S WILL IS DANGEROUS!!

IN Jonah’s despair he reached out to his God…
In our despair… in our moments of challenge
In our heart aches… and heart breaks… God is waiting…
In the locker room of every major sports team there is a physician, a physiotherapist and a trainer… because sports can be rough… giving it all for the team is dangerous…
In Jonah’s despair… he called out to God… the Great Physician, the Great Comforter, the Great Teacher… because being on God’s team is dangerous…

Jonah’s Dedication

7 "While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 "Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness, 9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD."

· Every have someone tell a joke and it is not until a little while after that it truly sinks in?

· Jonah… remember Dove… (dork)… is a little slow on the uptake…. as can we be… but slow is better than never getting it… Jonah rebelled and returned… Foolish is the one who rebels and doesn’t return…

· The story of the prodigal son would be incredibly different had the son got hung up on pride and died lonely and penniless…

· Jonah would be remembered (if at all) quiet differently if he didn’t show the dedication to the Lord… recognizing his failing… and surrendering…

· Jonah saw idols for what the are… useless and temporary… metal, wood and stone…

· Idols come between us a God… to whom are we dedicated…

n Hockey…

n Cars…

n Money…

n Technology

n It doesn’t have to be a trinket we worship to be an idol

n It is that which we have MADE our master…(GK)

· To what are you dedicated

n FIRST

n Think about it…

n What comes first?

· Jonah wobbled…

· Doug wobbles

· You wobble…

· But when it comes to crunch time… where is your dedication… where should it always be… and how to we get there?

· Jonah’s dedication was with God…

Jonah’s Deliverance

10 Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

How does Jonah pray… (if in the midst of his ordeal…)
NAU James 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

1 Peter 1:6-9 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
NAU Romans 5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
God is making us whole… nit by making it easy… but by making us depend on him…
God is delivering us from our world and ourselves…
We have been redeemed…
We have been delivered…
Not out of harms way… but into it…
From the frying pan into the fire…
From our poor plan to escape, a raging ocean, the belly of a fish… to stand on the doorstep of a cruel world and proclaim that they are vile in God’s eyes and they have some repenting to do!
The consequences for FOLLOWING Christ are often very serious… the consequences for not following Christ… can be Hell.
NAU Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Delivered by the grace of God…
Jonah… to a task
Peter… to a task
Paul… to a task
Each and every believer to a task…

Conclusion:

It is time to check your reflexes…
Where do you go…

n When the going gets tough… the believer drops to their knees!!

Share our despair
Develop and enhance our dedication
Be determined in your deliverance…

n Not okay thanks see ya…

n What can I do…