Getting Down To Pray!

When we choose to go our own direction we are exercising our will above God’s. In this way we have set ourselves above Him, making self to be lord of our life and master of our fate. There are times we need something to bring us back DOWN to the reality of the sovereignty of God. It took being thrown into the sea to get Jonah DOWN ON HIS KNEES. Read through his entire prayer ( Jonah 2:1-9) and take note of his focus on God. It took this distress to get him to call upon the Lord. ( Jonah 2:2) Further on into his prayer we read:

“WHEN MY LIFE WAS FAINTING AWAY, I REMEMBERED THE LORD, and MY PRAYER CAME TO YOU, into your holy temple.” ( Jonah 2:7 ESV)

Jonah attributed his being hurled into the sea as being by the hand of God (vs.3). And it took the bringing of Jonah DOWN to the depths to bring him to his senses regarding God’s will. Here he was immersed in the depths, engulfed by threatening waves (vs.3 & 5), DOWN to the “roots of the mountains” (vs.6), and coming to grips with the “root” of his sin -- to realize that he (Jonah) was not the one in charge.

Someone has said, “When down in the mouth, remember Jonah. He came out all right!” [source: bulletin clipping]

God provided “a great fish to swallow up Jonah” ( Jonah 1:17) where he spent three days and nights. For Jonah, this was no time for joy, but rather heartfelt repentance. Jonah needed to grieve over his rebellion. He needed to be struck DOWN in his arrogance before God. He needed to be humbled to remember the commitment of his life to God.

Peter admonished:
“(5) Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘GOD OPPOSES THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.’ (6) HUMBLE YOURSELVES, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so THAT AT THE PROPER TIME HE MAY EXALT YOU,”
( I Peter 5:5-6 ESV)

Toward the end of Jonah’s prayer we read:
“But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; WHAT I HAVE VOWED I WILL PAY. Salvation belongs to the LORD!” ( Jonah 2:9 ESV)

Then “the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” ( Jonah 2:10)

Humbled, Jonah was ready to acknowledge God’s rightful place. From the depths, God brought Jonah back up!

May we remove from our lives those things (actions, thoughts, feelings, stumbling blocks, etc.) that would keep us from humbling ourselves in prayer before God. Acknowledge Him as the Lord of our life and the Master of our eternal destiny.

Have a great day UPLIFTED THROUGH HUMILITY BEFORE OUR GREAT GOD!
Carl

See other teEn-MAIL on Jonah