Maelstrom

       Modern knowledge leaves one to doubt even the possibility that a human being could be swallowed by a whale, be alive for 3 days and then be 'spit out' to live and tell the tale. As the Bible is a mish mosh of different literary styles and story tellers, I don't have too much trouble dwelling on the veracity of the tale and getting to the heart of the matter.

       Any of us could tell their tale of woe. The details are undoubtedly etched in our brains, every moment of whatever torment we had to live through. Some of us seem to thrive on recounting the details and making ourselves the center of the maelstrom that life often delivers. Woe is me! WOE is me!  The truth of our feeling would likely be that Jonah lucked out that his torment only lasted three days. Whatever it is that we have gone through in life, it rarely would last only three days. But again, that is not the heart of the truth. Taken literally, we each have had it much worse perhaps than even Jonah. What we do know is a kinship in life itself. That's the crux of the matter.

       So what is it that the author of the Jonah story wishes us to see and know? That God is always with us no matter what tragedies seem to prevail in our lives.  No matter what the problem or what unthinkable length of time it prevails, God is by our side. Most importantly, God will prevail and we will be delivered. Always trust in God. Even in the darkness of the belly of the beast, God will always be with us and deliver us. 

        How important that information is when we are going through torment. What a relief that is when we ponder our own permanent solutions to temporary situations. If we can only know in our heart and soul that God will deliver us and that the sun will shine again on us.

Jonah 1:17-2:10

 But the Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying,
‘I called to the Lord out of my distress,
   and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
   and you heard my voice. 
You cast me into the deep,
   into the heart of the seas,
   and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and your billows
   passed over me. 
Then I said, “I am driven away
   from your sight;
how shall I look again
   upon your holy temple?” 
The waters closed in over me;
   the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped around my head 
   at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land
   whose bars closed upon me for ever;
yet you brought up my life from the Pit,
   O Lord my God. 
As my life was ebbing away,
   I remembered the Lord;
and my prayer came to you,
   into your holy temple. 
Those who worship vain idols
   forsake their true loyalty. 
But I with the voice of thanksgiving
   will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
   Deliverance belongs to the Lord!’ 
Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land.