Tuesday, March 4, 2014

"And he heard me..."

I'm not one to romanticize Jonah.  I'm aware that he ran from God's command.  I know he went to Nineveh because he had to, not because he wanted to.  I'm aware that after God spared the city, Jonah had himself a hum-dinger of a pity party because he disagreed with God's choice to administer grace and mercy.  He thought his way was the best way. 

Even with all of Jonah's pride and his wandering, God still chose to use him - in spite of his imperfections, or maybe because of his imperfections...I don't know. What I do know about Jonah is that in the middle of his mess, he called out to God for help.  

God, at the same time, wasn't surprised by Jonah's mess.  He wasn't shocked that he landed in the belly of a great fish, He wasn't trying to pinpoint his location, He wasn't worried about how he was going to rescue Jonah; because it was all choreographed by a sovereign God who knows what we need before we need it.

"But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights."  Jonah 1:17.  Now, I might be crazy, but three days and three nights is a long time to be in the belly of fish.  And yet, he was in the belly of that fish for three days and three nights before he called out to God.  But when he did call out to God, the Lord was faithful to hear his cry.

"From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.  He said, 'In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.'  I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'  The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.  To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever.  But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God.  When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple."  Jonah 2:1-7 NIV.

Does it feel like you're the only person going through what you're going through and that you're utterly alone? Does it feel like you've been banished from his sight and the waves are sweeping over you? You may be in a state of turmoil or you may be in the throws of utter chaos.  From the outside, it may seem like you have it all together, but internally your world is shaken and falling apart.  

Let me offer you hope.  God hears your cries for mercy.  His ear is bent toward your call.  He hears you when you pray.

Jonah 2:2 says, "In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.

Psalm 18:6 says, "In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.  From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears."

Psalm 120:1 says, "I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me."

2 Samuel 22:7 says, "In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God.  From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears."

Psalm 118:5, "In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free."

Psalm 145:18-19, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them."

The promise is when we cry out to God, he hears us and answers.  Maybe you've been in your situation a number of days, or a number of weeks.  Maybe this is a never-ending journey for you.  Maybe you're just beginning your stent in the belly of the fish.

So many times over the past months I have felt absolutely numb.  There are ebbs and flows of diagnosis and treatments, times of health and times of sickness, moments of hope, and moments of despair.  With every twist and turn of this journey I have found myself crying out to a Holy God, either searching for answers, asking for hope or simply shedding sorrowful tears at the feet of a gracious savior.  Each and every time I have walked away knowing that I cried out to the Lord, and He heard me.

Whatever it is you're going through, you are not alone.  Countless others have also been in distress.  Countless others have felt the sting of betrayal.  Countless others have felt the pain of abandonment.  Countless others have feared death.  Countless others have been unable to see a way out.  

The blessing lies in knowing that God makes a way where there seems to be no way.  God delivers out the hand of the enemy, the den of lions or the belly of the great fish.  

The promise is true:  When we call to him, he will hear us, and he will answer.  Wait patiently upon the Lord, find your rest in Him.  Call to him and he will answer.

Only By His Grace,

Billie










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