Then Jonah Prayed

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Jonah 2:1-2 (KJV)

1. Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
2. And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

1. Your life is intended for fellowship with God . . .
   To walk with God is the chief end of man. It is the reason Adam was created, it is the reason Christ died (to restore this fellowship) and it is the reason you and I are converted by God. Spurgeon said, "Have your heart right with God, and He will visit you often, and so turn weekdays into Sunday, meals into sacraments, homes into temples, and earth into heaven." Jonah walked with God. He prayer, he served, he sang. Jonah is called "a prophet of God," and a "servant of the Lord" (II Kings 14:25). You and I know a little something of this walk!
2. Sin blocks the fellowship you have with God . . .
   "Sin is crossing the boundaries of the laws of Christ." These "laws of Christ" are summarized by the teaching of our Lord in the gospels and the New Testament epistles. When God saves us, He places within our hearts a desire to follow His Word and His Will. But sometimes we decide to go our own direction and do our own thing! We think we know better than Christ!
   1. God told Jonah to go to Ninevah . . . the pagan capital of the Assyrians to preach.
   2. Jonah told God he'd rather go to Tarshish . . . the pleasure palace of Spain.
      Tarshish is mentioned 11 times in the Old Testament, and is called a place of wealth. Harvard University has discovered five places where the word "Tarshish" is carved into rocks by the early settlers of America. Everyone struggles with dreams of Tarshish. "It is better to be a child of God in rags than a child of Satan in riches."
3. God allows the consequences of your sin to be felt . . .
   When you live a life of rebellion toward God's will, God will allow you to feel pain.
   1. You will be allowed to feel loss . . .
      You lose your closeness with God, you often lose your family and friends, and your reputation; even your sense of right and wrong will be lost.
   2. You will be allowed to feel despair . . .
      Despair is the worst feeling of all. You are alone, with no possible help coming. Your life is sinking deeper and deeper into the pits of hell on earth.
4. It is the consequences of sin that drive you to pray . . . "Then Jonah prayed . . ."
   Notice, Jonah said, "I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord." Sometimes we need to remember that the very thing God uses to drive us unto Him is the pain of our sin. The beautiful thing about this prayer is that the Lord "heard me." This is repeated twice.

   Though the waves and storms go o'er my head, though strength, and health, and friends be gone; Though joys be withered all and dead, though every comfort be withdrawn; On this my steadfast soul relies; Father, thy mercy never dies.