Daily Devotionals

When Pigs Fly Week 1: Wednesday

Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. Jonah 2:10

The first chapter of Jonah chronicles Jonah running from God and his command. He was completely unwilling to do what God asked Him to do. God could have given up on Jonah and called someone else to go to Nineveh and warn them about upcoming judgment because of their sin. While many would have given up on Jonah, what is beautiful about Jonah's story is that as much as Jonah tried to get away from God, God continued to pursue him. God never gives up on us, even when we are hiding or running from Him. 

We see in Jonah 2 that God continued to pursue Jonah even when He was living in disobedience. God could have let Jonah continue his disobedience and sent someone else to Nineveh. Instead, he got Jonah's attention by sending a powerful storm that threatened Jonah's life and the lives of everyone on the boat he was on. Jonah was thrown overboard because he knew that the only way the storm would stop was if he got off the ship. Then, God got Jonah's attention again by causing a big fish to swallow him. For three days and three nights, Jonah was inside of the big fish (Jonah 1:17). Jonah 2 records a prayer Jonah prayed to God. Jonah's prayer is fascinating. He talks about times God rescued him in times of trouble. He talks about how God had given him more chances to follow Him throughout his life. It appears that he recounted times God had rescued him while, at the same time, he desperately needed to be rescued. After his prayer, God "ordered the fish to spit Jonah onto the beach" (verse 10). God used Jonah's time in the belly of the fish to get Jonah's attention and turn his attention back to God. Even in the middle of his disobedience, God was still pursuing Jonah. 

Just like God pursued Jonah while he was trying to get away from God, He pursues us. He deeply desires to have a relationship with us, and nothing will keep Him from pursuing us. Praise God that He never once gives up on His people!

Moving toward action

Write out a prayer to God. Thank Him that He pursues us even when we move in the opposite direction. Recount times in your past when God pursued you when you were not pursuing Him. Thank Him for His great love for His people.

Going Deeper

Jonah 2:1-10

"Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. 2 He said,

"I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble,
and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,
and Lord, you heard me!
3 You threw me into the ocean depths,
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
4 Then I said, 'O Lord, you have driven me from your presence.
Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.'

5 "I sank beneath the waves,
and the waters closed over me.
Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
6 I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
I was imprisoned in the earth,
whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
snatched me from the jaws of death!
7 As my life was slipping away,
I remembered the Lord.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
in your holy Temple.
8 Those who worship false gods
turn their backs on all God's mercies.
9 But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
and I will fulfill all my vows.
For my salvation comes from the Lord alone."