Jonah take Three

When we last left our would-be hero Jonah, he was fleeing as fast as his feet could carry him in the exact opposite direction of Ninevah where God had sent him.  Jonah could have complained that the Ninevites were those people.  Jonah could have said they were the enemy, the people who threatened the safety and security of Jerusalem, the people who would cause hurt/harm.  How in the world, why in the name of all that is holy, would God want us to go there?  It doesn't make sense!

So, the reluctant and rebel prophet runs away.  He hops on that boat bound for the opposite direction.  I love that he goes down into the belly of the boat (notice the theme?!) and falls asleep.  A storm rages above, tossing the boat chaotically on the sea, until Jonah fesses up to his true call.  And rather than repenting, Jonah waves the white flag and tells the sailors to throw him overboard.

I love the following poem...prayer as a reflection of what to do in the belly of the whale.  I encourage you to read it slowly and savor every single word/imagine.

Things to Do in the Belly of the Whale by Dan Albergotti

Measure the walls. Count the ribs. Notch the long days.
Look up for blue sky through the spout. Make small fires
with the broken hulls of fishing boats. Practice smoke signals.
Call old friends, and listen for echoes of distant voices.
Organize your calendar. Dream of the beach. Look each way
for the dim glow of light. Work on your reports. Review
each of your life’s ten million choices. Endure moments
of self-loathing. Find the evidence of those before you.
Destroy it. Try to be very quiet, and listen for the sound
of gears and moving water. Listen for the sound of your heart.
Be thankful that you are here, swallowed with all hope,
where you can rest and wait. Be nostalgic. Think of all
the things you did and could have done. Remember
treading water in the center of the still night sea, your toes
pointing again and again down, down into the black depths.

Now...the question is, what would you do in the belly of the whale?

As you engage and experience those moments, may there be more than a trace of God's grace.

Blessings ~~