Swallowed by Leviathan

-

 In the Belly of a Fish


Are there times when God compels some people to comply with His will? Yes. In the times of Jonah, God sent Jonah to go to Nineveh and warn the people to turn away from their wicked ways else, in order for then not to be destroyed. Jonah chose to flee from God. It was when God caused him to be swallowed by a big fish that he remembered that there is a God who can deliver him from his natural prison. This was his prayer in Jonah chapter 2.

1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. 

2 And he said:

“I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,

And He answered me.

“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,

And You heard my voice.

3 For You cast me into the deep,

Into the heart of the seas,

And the floods surrounded me;

All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.

4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;

Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’

5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;

The deep closed around me;

Weeds were wrapped around my head.

6 I went down to the [a]moorings of the mountains;

The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;

Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,

O Lord, my God.


Lessons learnt.

1. God is All-Powerful.

Through out the bible we have seen how God has manifested His power through out history so it is impossible to outwit Him.

2. It's better to willingly obey God than forcefully obey God. 

In the case of Jonah and also the time of the people who attempted to build a tower to the heavens (the tower of Babel) God had to forcefully cause the people to comply with His will. 

3. God is still merciful. 

After Jonah prayed and asked for mercy, the Lord saved him from the belly of the fish.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Comfort in Challenging Times

-
Image
A world of ups and downs  Throughout my 20 years on this earth, one thing remains certain: life is not all rosy. It is a journey filled with ups and downs. At times, I find myself feeling sad, discouraged, and alone, while other moments bring immense happiness, love, and a desire to inspire others. During challenging times, it's easy to give up, complain, or even hurt others in our pain and sometimes question our essence of living.   Emotional distress is a very critical situation many people find themselves in. Some people cut their friends off, and others abandon their purpose and calling in life. Discouragement is a tool used by the devil to afflict the lives of many people on this earth. He convinces us during those times that we are not good enough, we are not worthy, he reminds us of our mistakes, he accuses us, he dampens our spirit, and worst of all, he causes us to tear away from God.   We are not alone. My friends, the things we hear and feel during those dark
Read more

Boosting Self-Esteem: My Journey To Overcoming Low Confidence and Building Self Worth.

-
Image
I didn't know my identity. This is the first installment of the trilogy 'Being Exactly Who I Am.,' where I discuss my personal experience with low self-esteem and how I overcame it.   I distinctly remember being very shy during my time in primary school, and in addition to that shyness, I felt a lack of identity. I used to mimic others, adopting their personalities and playing those roles proficiently for a week until I discovered a new "role model." I felt empty by myself and believed that everyone else was superior to me. This feeling persisted as I progressed through my academic journey. How I Was Rescued from That Line of Thinking   There came a point in my life when I felt inspired to share the word of God during a gathering of a few students. Despite my shyness, I mustered the courage to do it for the first time, merely quoting a verse: Psalm 4:4 (AMPC) - "Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be s
Read more

We will exist forever...

-
Image
When I was little, I used to think about eternity and the state of never dying to the point of getting gripped with fear. It has always been my desire to find out more about the life ahead after physical death and of course, it is the truth I always looked out for.     I read and listened to many teachings. I also heard many testimonies of people dying and coming back but this one stood out to me the most.  I found some scriptures I would like to quote to you  Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ" Romans 10: 9-10, NKJV‬ " [9] that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation." Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will inherit the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Fa
Read more

Who Am I Not To Shine

-
Image
Being exactly who I am: Who am I not to shine? This is the third installment of my series Being Exactly Who I Am, where I talk about the need for us to shine. In the first two installments, I spoke about getting to know your identity and how to block negative comments or opinions of people from bringing you down.    We mostly overlook the fact that, God desires that we unleash the talents, gifts and abilities He has bestowed upon us but He does. We are told in Isaiah 60:1 and 2 that, ‭‭  ‭ [1] “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. [2] See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. NIV‬‬   The Lord has placed so much in us and expects us to use it to His glory.  It could be the ability to sing, act, paint, drive, play an instrument, teach, solve problems, excel in sports, communicate effectively, or even show empathy. When we showcase the talents and abilities
Read more

Answering The Call -The Account

-
Image
Reflecting on how we spend our days. Many times in life, we are asked to account for the time we spent in a particular place and how we used that time. It may be at work, school, or even at church. But what about our total time spent in this life? Can we account for each day? Are we even aware of how we should spend our days? This is the first part of my twin series, "The Call and Account," where I discuss the need to answer the call because we will have to give an account someday. The Lord has given each person a certain amount of time to spend on Earth. The number of years is not revealed to us, but when it is over, we will have to give an account. Uncertainty about answering the call. One day, while I was still uncertain about a thought that had come to my mind earlier, I was praying. It was about doing something in line with my calling, but I wasn't ready to "pick up the call." Then, as I prayed, a thought sank into my spirit: "What account will I give
Read more

Unleashing The Power Of Positive Thinking: You Are What You Think - Transform Your Life

-
Image
 How Your Mentality Shapes Your Life  Proverbs 23:7a, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. ..." In a world where words are often praised for their ability to influence, the source of this ideology is our mindset. I firmly believe that our mental faculty truly drives us as individuals. Our thoughts shape our speech, actions, and our perception of what is right or wrong. It is impossible to think like a person of great wealth and yet act as if we are destitute. Likewise, a brilliant student excels not solely due to their innate abilities but because their mind is already in a state of excellence, driving them to continuously work on themselves to achieve greatness. Of course, there may be exceptions, such as those with photographic memories who effortlessly retain knowledge. However, even they operate within the confines of their exceptional mentality. Join me as we explore the myriad ways in which our mentality holds the power to shape our lives, from personal succe
Read more

Confronting the Wickedness of Lynching

-
Image
"Embracing Divine Light: "God's Unconditional Love, Even in the Darkest Hours of Injustice"   The love of many has grown cold. Yesterday, I was in a library on campus when, not too far from me, a man was being brutally beaten to death for stealing a phone. Around 30 men gathered around him and showed no mercy. I was unaware of this incident until I returned to my hostel. Upon hearing about it, I couldn't help but wonder how some people could reach such levels of wickedness. How could individuals willingly allow themselves to be used by the devil to the point where they no longer feel compassion for the person they are killing? The words of God in Matthew 24:12 are relevant: "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." Those who perpetrate acts of wickedness towards their fellow human beings often fail to empathize with them, as the Bible states in Matthew 7:12, "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do
Read more

Purpose In Life.

-
Image
Walk in your purpose. Many people are unaware of their purpose in life. Often, individuals find themselves asking, "What exactly am I on earth for?" Let's start with a few fundamental facts. No human being created themselves; we are all brought into this world by God, our Creator, who has a specific reason for our existence. However, many individuals have yet to discover their life's purpose or are living in contradiction to it. So, what is our purpose in life? ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭12:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬ [13] Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭12:13‬ ‭AMPC‬‬‬‬‬‬ [13] All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God's providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmon
Read more

Blood for blood?

-
Image
Should he who sheds man's blood face his blood being shed by man? Another incident occurred yesterday. A master's student was returning from evening lectures and took a dark path, where he encountered robbers. They attempted to rob him, but he resisted. Unfortunately, the robbers pushed him into an oncoming vehicle, resulting in his death. Now, the question arises: should these individuals be killed when apprehended? The Bible states in the Old Testament that, Genesis 9:6, "Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed." What about our current day? In the New Testament day and age. Did Jesus ever support mob Justice? No. Previously, I wrote about lynching, and I stated clearly that lynching is wrong.     There is a distinct difference between a thief who steals bread or a phone and a robber armed with a knife or machete, intending to steal, kill, and destroy. Both stealing and robbing are wrong, but we must differentiate between the two when administe
Read more

My talent - Your Glory

-
Image
 Talents from God. God has blessed us humans with talents out of the abundance of His love and Power. As stated in an earlier post, God has given His beloved diversities of talents. These are to portray the wonders of God and to honor Him. God deserves all the glory. When we blossom with our talents, we must not take the credit. Our attitude should always be: Glory be to God! (Philippians 4:13), Him -Our God is our Source and our Help. Don’t fail to cultivate your talent. Many people are good at some things but need to pay attention to them. This is not the plan God had when he put it in us. We must not neglect the numerous talents God has given us. At a point in time in my life, I focused on only one thing, my formal education, and ignored all the numerous talents God had blessed me with. Though I had a burning desire to train in those areas, I felt so occupied, and spending a minute a day training those talents cost me much. For example, if I am good at musical instruments an
Read more