I believe when we don’t know what else to do, we do one thing we can do. To me, it was writing. When I write, I always write unto the Lord. I am grateful that I can express myself more through my writings dedicated to the Lord.
When every door looks closed, you should focus on your talent. Do the one thing the Lord has given you faithfully. To me, it was writing.
I just wanted to remind myself to continue trusting God. When there seemed to be shut doors, I decided to direct all my passion into one thing the Lord had given me: the world of writing.
I would like to encourage my readers to trust God. How do we trust God when things don’t seem to be working?
Do you all remember the story of Jonah and the big fish? I remember this story being recited to me during my growing-up days during Sunday school in church. My mum also reads this story to me using the Big Children’s Bible at home in my younger days.
Let us remember this story together.
Jonah chap 1: 1=2 (NIV) The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.
Although there was an instruction for Jonah, Jonah disobeyed and tried running away from his calling. He may have felt fearful, or he may have his own personal reasons for choosing to disobey the call of God in his life.
Jonah tried to run away from God in the opposite direction of Nineveh and headed by boat to Tarshish. God sent a great storm upon the ship, and the men decided Jonah was to blame, so they threw him overboard. As soon as they tossed Jonah into the water, the storm stopped.
God sent a big fish, some call it a whale, to swallow Jonah and save him from drowning. While in the belly of the big fish (whale), Jonah prayed to God for help, repented, and praised God. For three days, Jonah sat in the belly of the fish. Then, God had the big fish throw Jonah onto the shores of Nineveh.
When Jonah was in the belly of the big fish, it may look like there was no solution. But I believe Jonah directed all his passion into one thing he could do at that moment. Which is repentance and praising God.
Preserving Jonah’s life in the belly of the fish reminds us the Lord will preserve us in His way. Imagine going into a big fish belly. Who thought Jonah would survive? But he needed to repent and come back to the Lord. The Lord knew the only way was to get him locked up in the belly of the fish. He may have thought he was trapped. But it was all in the mega plan of God.
Jonah chap 2: 1-2 (NIV): From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 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.
When Jonah repented, the Lord commanded the fish to vomit Jonah unto the dry land.
If we continue reading the following chapters in Jonah, the same instruction was given to Jonah again.
Jonah chap 3: 1-3 (NIV)Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.
I would like to encourage my readers today. If there is a call of God in your life, do not push it away. For Jonah, it was only three days the Lord had to make him go through the process of repentance to finally accept the call of God and obey what was given to him.
Deep down in your heart, if you know you have been called by God, but you chose to go the opposite direction, it is time to repent, surrender, and obey the call of God in your life.
The Lord is faithful. He will redeem us. He will preserve our life. I would like to encourage my readers to just submit under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
I hope you enjoyed reading Jonah’s story today. Does this story sound familiar to your life story at any season of your life? If it does, do not worry if you feel trapped. It is for the glory of God. Remember, when the time is right, the Lord will command the fish to vomit Jonah out. Likewise, every problem has an expiry date. Obedience is the key.
Try checking out this short story of Jonah in youtube. You will enjoy it.
Cheer up. The Lord is with you.R.J.JOHN
Joy of the Lord is my Strength Note Series 