Okay, so seriously? Swallowed by a giant fish? Wow! What a way to get someone's attention! Yet, this is exactly what happened to Jonah. God wanted him to go to Ninevah and tell them (the Ninevites) that in 40 days, Ninevah would be overthrown because of their wicked ways. Because Jonah didn't want to do this, he tried to hide from God (as if....). He went to a remote trading place, got on a ship, and set sail, thinking he'd be safe, out of the eye of God. Not!

To shorten the story some, a violent storm came up and the men tossed him overboard, hoping that this would quell the storm. Jonah was then swallowed up by a giant fish and spent the next three days and nights in this fish's belly. Eww!! Realizing the error of his ways, he cried out to God and God had mercy on him and delivered him from the fish's belly. Again, ewww!!

God told him to go to Ninevah, and this time, he obeyed. He delivered God's message to the people of Ninevah and they, in turn, saw the error of their ways and cried out to God and He had mercy on them. Well, Jonah was really mad about this! He didn't think they deserved God's mercy. (Don't we all, at some point, think that our sins aren't as bad as someone else’s?) Jonah knew, though, that if they did repent, God would, indeed have mercy on them, and that's exactly what He did. He had mercy and didn't destroy them.

Who are we to be so arrogant as to try to tell God that someone else doesn't deserve His mercy? Do we forget the mercy He has shown to us?

Let me ask you something. Has God asked you to speak to someone about the error of his/her ways, but you tried to hide from Him - maybe because you didn't think this person deserved His mercy and deliverance?

Be very careful. A fish's belly might be in your future......

Psalm 139:7-12: “Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence? If I ascend up in to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead) , behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand holds me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be(the only) light about me, Even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.”

Author: Denise Dulaney