Title: Jonah Prayed
Memorize: And he said: “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice. Jonah 2:2 (Nkjv)
Bible Reading: Jonah 2:1-10 (Nkjv)
[1] Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly.
[2] And he said: “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, And He answered me. “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, And You heard my voice.
[3] For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
[4] Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
[5] The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head.
[6] I went down to the moorings of the mountains; The earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.
[7] “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; And my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple.
[8] “Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.
[9] But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.”
[10] So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Message:
One of the stories that children love to see illustrated is that of Prophet Jonah in the belly of the whale.
In Jonah chapter 1, God sent Jonah on an assignment to preach repentance to the people of Nineveh.
Rather than go on the mission, he decided to board a ship to Tarshish. Then, God sent a great fish (whale) to swallow him up.
I believe that Jonah must have had a dramatic experience in the whale’s belly.
Whenever the whale swam fast, he must have been thrown off balance, When the whale ate its prey, it would have poured its food on him.
Jonah had no food for three days, and he must have prayed fervently for God’s mercy in the belly of that whale.
After Jonah cried out in prayer, acknowledging his foolishness and seeking for forgiveness, God told the fish to spit him out at the shore.
My dear child, have you been disobedient to God or your parents over any matter?
Just like Jonah cried to God for mercy, cry to God today; He will show you mercy and restore you.
Key Point:
You too can receive mercy; you only need to ask.
Bible Quiz:
Why didn’t the great fish eat up Jonah?
HYMN 22: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER! SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER!
1 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
that calls me from a world of care,
and bids me at my Father’s throne
make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
my soul has often found relief,
and oft escaped the tempter’s snare
by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
2 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
the joys I feel, the bliss I share
of those whose anxious spirits burn
with strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
where God my Savior shows his face,
and gladly take my station there,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
3 Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
thy wings shall my petition bear
to him whose truth and faithfulness
engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek his face,
believe his word, and trust his grace,
I’ll cast on him my every care,
and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Bible In One Year: 2 Kings 15:1-16:20, Acts 19:13-41
Authors: Pastor E. A. Adeboye and Pastor Folu Adeboye