There’s nothing like killing time in the belly of a whale to give someone perspective. Can you relate? Maybe not so much dwelling in the abdomen of an aquatic animal but feeling stuck somewhere God didn’t want you to be, and you knew it all along?
God commanded Jonah to share the gospel in Nineveh, but he wasn’t feeling it. Not a big fan of the city or its people, Jonah would happily go anywhere else. Jonah went his own way, not God’s way, and headed to Tarshish. Then his plans got, well, swallowed.
Jonah quickly made his displeasure known to God about his circumstances—the one he himself caused. And that’s when God dropped the mic with this statement to Jonah: “Have you any right to be angry?”
Jonah had his moment of contrition, and after a quick launch from the waters, he made it to Nineveh.
It’s easy to look at Jonah and judge him for running in the opposite direction of God’s will, but honestly, we as Christians aren’t much different. Oftentimes, we put our own agendas before our loyalty to God. Before choosing to put your desires first, consider where you may end up as a consequence. The belly of a whale doesn’t sound like a desirable destination spot, does it? Think hard and choose wisely.
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