"But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land."
Jonah 2:9-10
This was an interesting combination of verses that struck me today because the first verse sounds similar to verses that we have talked about recently (similarity not diminishing coolness of course), while the second verse shows the interesting context of the end of this prayer.
Jonah talks about sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving, which is an interesting idea... is thanksgiving a sacrifice? Perhaps. It probably was really difficult to be thankful in his circumstances, and perhaps in ours as well. We also find it difficult because part of what we have to sacrifice is our pride... perhaps only a broken heart and a contrite spirit can thank the Lord properly, when we humble ourselves and really see our relationship to God, and how we have abused that friendship. Or, interpreted a different way, perhaps we are thankful for sacrifice--for the ability to make those choices and to lay down our will in favor of his as we comprehend the wisdom and goodness of his plan.
Jonah talks about paying what he has vowed, or keeping his covenants / promises. This builds our relationship with God as well, and is also indicative of repentance, for surely Jonah had previously turned away from his vows, as we often do.
Even this prayer uttered from inside of a whale was heard by God, and answered with deliverance. Indeed, salvation is of the Lord, and Job went to the right place to find it. :)
Today, in whatever situation we find ourselves in, let us cry unto the Lord, offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving and paying what we have vowed, so that we too may find salvation. If Jonah can be heard "out of the belly of hell" (verse 2), he will surely hear us as well, wherever and whenever we choose to turn and change.
And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land."
Jonah 2:9-10
This was an interesting combination of verses that struck me today because the first verse sounds similar to verses that we have talked about recently (similarity not diminishing coolness of course), while the second verse shows the interesting context of the end of this prayer.
Jonah talks about sacrifice with the voice of thanksgiving, which is an interesting idea... is thanksgiving a sacrifice? Perhaps. It probably was really difficult to be thankful in his circumstances, and perhaps in ours as well. We also find it difficult because part of what we have to sacrifice is our pride... perhaps only a broken heart and a contrite spirit can thank the Lord properly, when we humble ourselves and really see our relationship to God, and how we have abused that friendship. Or, interpreted a different way, perhaps we are thankful for sacrifice--for the ability to make those choices and to lay down our will in favor of his as we comprehend the wisdom and goodness of his plan.
Jonah talks about paying what he has vowed, or keeping his covenants / promises. This builds our relationship with God as well, and is also indicative of repentance, for surely Jonah had previously turned away from his vows, as we often do.
Even this prayer uttered from inside of a whale was heard by God, and answered with deliverance. Indeed, salvation is of the Lord, and Job went to the right place to find it. :)
Today, in whatever situation we find ourselves in, let us cry unto the Lord, offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving and paying what we have vowed, so that we too may find salvation. If Jonah can be heard "out of the belly of hell" (verse 2), he will surely hear us as well, wherever and whenever we choose to turn and change.
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