Celebrating Deliverance Before It Happens

Jonah 2:1
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.

Thus began my scripture reading for yesterday, and as I reflected on it I was reminded again of the fact that Jonah's song of praise erupts from his lips before his deliverance is complete. His song of deliverance comes from within the belly of a fish.

It was a timely reminder, because later that afternoon my FTB came back with a vengeance. FTB stands for financial tar baby. It's the name I've given a financial asset I nearly cannot give away. I never meant to come into possession of it. Yesterday morning I had it swinging loosely off of one fingernail. One more shake and I'd be free of it forever... But no. Today my FTB is firmly attached to both my hands again... perhaps even my torso.

In the end, I am confident God is not terribly worked up about this financial woe of mine. But God does have a stake in the matter. I know he wants he wants me to do what I do for His glory... and to, like Jonah, praise him from the belly of a stinking fish. In short, God cares about me.

Parenthetically, it's fun to note that God's concern is not limited to people. Jonah 4:10-11 notes that God cares about animals and even, it might be argued, the fate of a single plant. But I digress.

Jonah had reason to praise God from within the fish's belly. Short of the fish that swallowed him, he'd have drowned. But Jonah also cause for concern. I can think of a few things to worry about from within the belly of a fish. How long will the air sustain me? How long before I get digested? How long before the fish retches me back into the ocean and I drown for the last time?

So Jonah has a choice. He can celebrate his deliverance from drowning... or lament his current state of affairs.

The entire book of Jonah is an ongoing story of God's mercy and love, almost all of which Jonah doesn't get one bit. Not one bit. Jonah is extremely thick and stupid where God's mercy is concerned. But for a brief moment in chapter 2, Jonah rejoices in a moment of clarity. He understands that God has been merciful to him.

From within the belly of the fish, Jonah praises God not merely because God saved him from drowning, but also in confidence that God would also resolve the other open issues. Like the fact that he's stuck in the putrid belly of a fish... in the middle of a big, deep ocean.

Lord, teach me to praise you in the midst of my own life's open issues. The ocean is big. But you're bigger.

Jonah 2:2-10
He said:
"In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead 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, LORD my God,
brought my life up from the pit.

"When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.

"Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit God's love for them.

But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, 'Salvation comes from the LORD.' "

And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.