Jonah 2:1-10
 
Thankful to Not Receive What is Deserved (Jonah 2:1-7)
 
  1. The righteous God hears a rebellious servant. v.2 (Sheol was Hebrew term used to signify death, in this case it was to signify the certainty of coming death.) We are all awaiting certain death aren’t we?
  2. God allowed His servant to experience desperation. v.3
  3. Even in the worst of circumstances, God is near. vv.4-6 I want to you to hear Deut. 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you”  What’s the context of this circumstance? They, the Israelites, are receiving a new commander, Joshua, and they’ve been charged to cross the Jordan River into the promised land. There are giants to face! God is there! The writer of Hebrews restates this in Heb. 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Money is the modern day giant that may keep us from doing God’s work. Like Jonah, if we cling to idols, God will rip them away until He gets our attention so that He alone is glorified!
  4. Thankful for the Source of all hope. v.7
 
Prayer is such a powerful tool. “The less I pray the harder it gets.” Martin Luther “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther
 
Thankful to Repent and Be Directed Back to God (Jonah 2:8)  Turning from idols and turning back to God! There is great peace in obedience to the will of Christ! Listen to what the writer tells us in verse 8. Unless you repent, give up idols, you will not experience the love of God. If you ever wonder what God’s will is for you, His will is clear! Come to Him through a saving relationship with Jesus Christ! Ask Christ to forgive you and help you repent from your sins, and develop a relationship with Him. His will is that you grow in relationship with Him, that’s why He’s established the church, to help in maturity.
 
Thankful to Render Sacrificial Devotion (Jonah 2:9) How do you know if you’re truly devoted? You give up something! You repent and turn, you sacrifice for the cause! Many are comfortable with sacrificing the bare minimum. God sees and knows our heart! He’s wanting you to give Him everything! He will bless you if you’re obedient. Malachi 1:6-10 shows this, the people of Israel were sacrificing the bare minimum. “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. 9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.”
 
Thankful to Rejoice in Salvation and Deliverance (Jonah 2:9-10)  May our first prayer each morning be thanking God for such a great miracle of salvation! Thank you Christ for the work you did on the cross! Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?”
 
  1. Thankful for being loved by God.
  2. Thankful for being forgiven and accepted and protected and strengthened and guided by almighty God.
  3. Thankful for the sacrifice of Christ’s life on the cross.
  4. Thankful for the free gift of righteousness given by faith.
  5. Thankful for the removal of God’s wrath because of Christ.
  6. Thankful for the indwelling Holy Spirit and the fellowship and friendship of the living Christ.
  7. Thankful for the free access to the throne of grace.
  8. Thankful the inexhaustible treasure of God’s promises.

 

The mark of an authentic Christian is gratitude for God’s love!

  P- Power R- Ready A- After Y- Yielding E- Every R- Request