Getting "right" with God

I’m studying today for the first message of our Jonah series at Journey. We are going to be in chapter 1 but today God spoke to me from Jonah 2:2.

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. Jonah 2:2

Jonah had reached a point just like the prodigal son that he just wanted to be “right” with God. He had spent three days in the belly of a “big fish” and he didn’t know if he was going to live or die but that didn’t matter. What mattered is that he was right with God, and so “. . .from the depths of the grave he called for help.”

Now notice God’s response. God heard him, v. 2. “you listened to my cry.” God will always hear us when we come to him in humility, but the problem is we often come to him on our terms, expecting him to get us “out” of our situations. Jonah on the other hand simply came to God without any expectations, without any pre-conditions and God heard him.

Do you feel like God is far from you? Like maybe He isn’t listening to your prayers? Maybe the reason God doesn’t “hear” our prayers is that we have not reached the bottom yet. Unlike Jonah and unlike the prodigal son, we are too proud. Being “right” with God isn’t the most important thing. We want God for what He can do for us and not for who He is and for what we can do for Him.

If today you feel “swallowed” up by a “whale” of problems, try what Jonah did. Cry out to God in humility and know that he will hear you. He may even spit you out of your “big fish” and give you a “second” chance.

P.S. Join us this Sunday for our study of Jonah chapter 1. Note we are meeting in August at the Clubhouse at Heritage Golf Club located at 3525 Heritage Club Drive, Hilliard, Ohio (off of Rome Hilliard Rd., just South of Cemetery Rd.) Come an join us because life is a journey and no one should have to go it alone.