“I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
The book of Jonah represents for us the reality that our great God is truly the God of second chances. Nineveh, a city whose evil had “come up” (literally like a weed or climbing plant) before the Lord (1:2), condemning it to a divine “disaster,” was saved by our merciful and “relenting” God when it turned from its evil way (3:10). Jonah, whose unmitigated disobedience to God’s prophetic commission to preach to the Ninevites prompts him to flee in the opposite direction, some 2,300 miles from home, is saved from a deserved demise. He is given an opportunity to re-establish what would become one of the greatest evangelistic outreaches known throughout history.
The great God of the universe crafted the scenario whereby a sailing crew, praying to many gods for relief from the storm, finds the “sea ceased from its raging” by the one God of all creation; to whom these men now “exceedingly” fear and begin to worship (1:15-16). Jonah, who was thrown overboard as a condition for calm waters, is graciously provided a great fish by God, for protection and for some time to mull over his act of flagrant disobedience.
Our verse for today is pivotal for the entire short story of this prophet. There are many interpretive insights that can be given to the word pictures set forth by Jonah while sitting in this slippery alcove; but he, himself now began to recognize not only his act of disobedience, but the gracious provision and protection by God, who was not finished with using him for His intent (2:1-9). Jonah was having an “aha” moment, leading toward a season of thanksgiving that would freshly prepare him for the task of bringing an entire city to a point of repentance.
We also, at those pivotal points where thankfulness blooms, are most prepared spiritually to be used by God to bring both individual growth in our relationship with Him, and to yield greater impact in the lives of those around us (Psalm 105:1-2). Thanksgiving motivates us for a life of obedience and fruitfulness offered up to our great God! A moment of recognized thankfulness can open a door ajar, letting in the light of God’s gracious provision and protection, but only when we make a habit of “casting down” our lot of thanksgiving (the literal meaning of the oft-used phrase: “give thanks” to the Lord) can we develop a sustained attitude of gratefulness in relation to God. This is a great discipline for our lives.
The “spoiler-alert” to our story is that although Jonah appeared genuinely thankful for God’s mercy and grace upon his life and ministry, it wasn’t necessarily sustainable (4:10-11). I am inclined to believe that both Jonah (and we) at times allow the sins of pride, complaining, doubt, and worry to prevent us from seeing the God-given opportunities to which we can “cast down” our thanksgiving, which will ultimately prevail over the dark shadows of these sinful attitudes. May pride, complaining, doubt, and worry never shield us from recognizing the authenticity of God’s truth revealed in His Word, so that the pathways of confidence and peace in our relationship are set before us daily. This is the course of a grateful heart before God.
By Bill Niblette, Ph.D., Bible League International Contributor, Pennsylvania, U.S.
