Jonah 2:1-11 (daily bread of 9/10/17)

key verse: 2:10

I WILL SING MY GRATITUDE

Jonah was a nationalist. He cant' waive his desir to see his country prosper and see evil for his enemy. God loved him and gave him training.

1. Jonah's prayer (1-7)

Jonas was dumped from the boat by the sailors, because he was the cause of hurricane which could kill them all. When he was dumped, a great fish waited for him. He stayed in the stomach of the sea monster during 3 days and 3 nights. In the absolute darkness, Jonah kneeled and prayed to God. In his prayer he doesn't express his repentance but he praised God who has answered his prayer when he was in absolute agony in the sea bottom. "I cried to you and you have answered me". When someone desesperately cries, God listens to him, regardless of his past sin. The environment in the sea bottom was terrible, Jonah became a marine plant engulfed in algae. His monologue was that the Lord was driven far from him. But it was Jonah who had fled from the Lord's face. In this situation, Jonah had a holy desir of come back to see the face of God in his temple. He makes sure that his prayer was rised to God's throne in his temple.

2. I will sing my gratitude (8-11)

Jonah thought that he was on his last legs. All was engulfed and crushed in the stomach of the fish. It was the moment when life seemed to have left Jonah. But, in this moment, God intervenes and listens to Jonah's prayer in his temple. The temple is the place where mankind worships. The people worship false gods. They lost their chance to be saved. But those who truly worship God are blessed by God and enjoy the divine life. The assurance of salvation comes to them. Jonah swears that now he will offer true worship to God. True worship consists of having the gratitude of the heart which is expressed through our songs. Jonah vows a vow to God that he will give a sacrifice to him and that he will keep his promise. So, this very pleasant vow had an immediate effect. God listened to his very humble and very desperate prayer and God intervenes in his matter, and Jonah was vomitted by the fish on the mainland.