The wideness of God's mercy

Daily Devotional Podcast. Follow along with blog post.

"Then Jonah prayed to his God from the belly of the fish. He prayed: “In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to God. He answered me. From the belly of the grave I cried, ‘Help!’ You heard my cry. You threw me into ocean’s depths, into a watery grave, With ocean waves, ocean breakers crashing over me. I said, ‘I’ve been thrown away, thrown out, out of your sight. I’ll never again lay eyes on your Holy Temple.’ Ocean gripped me by the throat. The ancient Abyss grabbed me and held tight. My head was all tangled in seaweed at the bottom of the sea where the mountains take root. I was as far down as a body can go, and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever—Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive, O God, my God! When my life was slipping away, I remembered God, And my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to your Holy Temple. Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love. But I’m worshiping you, God, calling out in thanksgiving! And I’ll do what I promised I’d do! Salvation belongs to God!” Then God spoke to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah on the seashore." 

Those verses come from Jonah 2 and that was the part where God made the Prophet Jonah go into the belly of a fish (which was the wilderness). Because of Jonah's disobedience concerning his unwillingness to go preach to the people of Ninevah, he found himself in the belly of the fish. Down and out and in a bad place. God told Jonah that the people were living an evil wretched life and He was going to destroy them, so God wanted Jonah to warn them. After the fish ordeal, God told Jonah a second time and Jonah went, but found himself depressed after God spared the people. You see, Jonah didn't want God to bless them. Yet, don't you know, God is a merciful and forgiving God? Yes, and when the people of Ninevah became repentant, prayed to God to spare them, and changed their wicked ways, God relented and answered their prayers. He saved them. The story of Jonah has several lessons for us, including God's great mercy on those who humbly ask for it.