Jonah

Jonah’s Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Summarize Jonah Chapter 1

Read Jonah chapter 2. (NASB)

Conjecture = What was Jonah’s situation two weeks before the events in chapter 1?

God had appointed a task for Jonah that would make a huge difference in the lives of the Ninivites, but Jonah decided that he didn’t want to cooperate.  (Noah getting in his car seat)

God could have used anyone – a native, another Hebrew, a donkey… Why do you think he chose Jonah?

God loves people. He loved the citizens of Nineveh. He loved Jonah.  See verses below:

Revelation 3:19 –Those whom I live I rebuke and discipline

Proverbs 3:12 For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

God’s reproof to Jonah did the trick! It worked perfectly. Once Jonah had a chance to think about what God had directed him to do for a while (3 days) he decided that he should turn back to God instead of fleeing from God.

His prayer included an acknowledgement of his current situation, and several statements about God, and in V 9 the ribbon on the whole “prayer Package” is his spirit of thanksgiving. Some translations use the term grateful.

Keep in mind that this prayer is prayed while he was still in the belly of the fish.

Is thankfulness a normal response to discipline?

Is thankfulness a common response to terrible circumstances?

As you are facing challenges, when do you usually get around to thanksgiving?

We don’t often consider Jonah a hero of the faith, but his response to discipline was a good one, and it only took him 3 days to figure out what he should do.

Jonah knew as soon as his cruise director woke him up that God’s discipline was behind the storm. How can we tell the difference between God’s discipline, trials that give us the opportunity to grow in our faith, the result of our own poor choices, or other possible reasons for bad things that happen in our lives?

I believe that just as Jonah knew, God will let us know if our circumstances are a reproof.

As we start the holiday season, and consider all that you might be thankful for, remember to be thankful for God’s love. Sometimes that feels like the Lord is providing for all your needs and you know that He is with you no matter what, but it can sometimes feel like getting kicked off the boat in the middle of the sea. Regardless of your circumstances, God still loves you and is always working to draw you to Him.