What's Your Whale?

I just realized something very intriguing. Not once has Jonah and his encounter with the big fish been ever mentioned in regards to Thanksgiving. Strange you ask? Here's why...Jonah was in the belly of the fish because he chose to run from God in disobedience. What does he do after 3 days of putrid existence? (in a stomach ok?!) He cries out to his God for rescue and says, "But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord." (Jonah 2:9)

Jonah was thankful in the whale, but it took three days. After that a new life. Obvious is the reference to the resurrection life, as Jesus referred to this in Matthew. We must get this part. We must begin with the resurrection life. But what about the whale? Do we realize we're in a whale sometimes in our lives and stay there without crying out? Becoming numb to a putrid way of living can keep us from living as God is calling us to. Yet God in his mercy allowed Jonah to begin the new life on dry land. He didn't have to drown. God's effort. Not his. But Jonah cried out.

You could say, from looking at my life, that I've been vomited up from the whale. As a result of disobedience? On some level yes. God got my attention. I'm a different man now. From trials can come joy and thanksgiving. Would I go through that experience to get to where I am now? Not ever. That's where God steps in, and takes us where we need to go.

If you or someone you know is running from God, pray they realize they're in a whale, and pray for their rescue from the stinking stew. Pray they live as though they've never lived before...and seek to give thanks for the whale they've just been vomited up from.