Tag Archives: Happy Thanksgiving!

JONAH’S THANKSGIVING Jonah 2

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Thanksgiving day!  Mouthwatering, delicious food.  Appetizing aromas waft in the air, while the chitchat of adults and children compete with one another.  Pleasures abound!  What about Jonah?

Jonah?  What about him?  Well, he’s the prophet who runs away from God’s call, winding up in the belly of a great fish.  Three days and nights in its feedbag bring him some rather sobering thoughts.

Hear this stinky, slimy prophet–‘But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.  What I have vowed I will make good.  Salvation comes from the Lord’ (Jonah 2:9).  Jonah’s thanksgiving prayer accompanies a grateful melody.  ‘Joy and rapture unforeseen’!  An example for us this Thursday?

No, not getting inside the gut of a big fish!  I’m interested in what prompts Jonah to praise God from what appears to be certain death.  A rescued outcome seems far less likely with each passing day and night.  Does he throw in the towel?  Call it a day?  Quit cold Thanksgiving turkey?  Not Jonah.

Let’s look deeper at chapter 2 with hints from the original language.  Jonah 1:17–‘But the Lord provided a great fish…’  ‘Fish’ is a masculine noun in Hebrew.  Jonah 2:1–‘From inside the fish Jonah prayed…’  Here’s a feminine noun for ‘fish’.  The last verse–‘And the Lord commanded the fish…’ (2:10)– reverts back to the masculine.  In Jonah 2:2 he uses this image to describe his location– ‘…from the depths of the grave…’  Literally– ‘the womb of Sheol’.  A feminine image.

Note the subtle shade of meaning.  The strong fish (masculine) will not eat poor Jonah for its Thanksgiving dinner, but will act like a safe womb (feminine), protecting and nurturing him, allowing him to ponder his life and where thankfulness might yet come from.  God surrounds Jonah in every way.

A light goes on in the old noggin.  Jonah, focus on the lemonade and not life’s lemons.  There’s an idea!

What Jonah’s mostly thankful for is his salvation, his deliverance by the Lord.  But remember that his praise comes days BEFORE he finds himself on dry ground (2:10).  BEFORE he’s safe and sound.  Even BEFORE God answers our prayers, we can have confidence in His strong protection and His womblike love and care.

With Jesus, death loses its grip.  His own three day and night ordeal delivers us, by His resurrection, from the consequences of our rebellion and sin.  All forgiven.  And forgotten.  Gone.  Is that not something to be thankful for?  If not, I have no idea what would be.

That’s what I’ll be thinking about this Thanksgiving week.  What Jesus has done for me.  And still does.  Of course, all the other goodies as well!  But mainly Him, who’s both powerful and protective.  Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Thank you, Jesus, for saving us and making us yours forever.  Amen.

 

 

COULD THAT BE TOO MUCH TO ASK?…. Psalm 107:22

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Growing up there were 2 magic words we were encouraged to say–‘please’ and ‘thank you’.  ‘Please’ as a kind way of asking for something.  ‘Thank you’ as showing gratitude.  When our granddaughter Helena was staying with us, I noticed that when she wanted something she would say ‘please’, with ‘thank you’ soon following.  Our other grandchildren say the same.  However, these words are rare to hear in this day-and-age, especially from adults.

People seem different now than from the past.  We feel entitled.  Like it’s our right, our due in life.  This ‘selfie’ generation expects to take without much effort at all.  Right now!  I guess it’s too much to ask people to say those magic words,  let alone mean them?   Too much sacrifice involved?  Too ungrateful?  Might have to swallow our pride.  Eat a bit of humble pie.

In Psalm 107, God’s people have been foolish.  Verse 17–  ‘Some became foolish through their rebellious ways…’  Sin and rebellion were their ‘modus operandi’.  They suffered greatly for it.  But, praise the Lord, they came to their senses, realized how utterly foolish they had been, and ‘…they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress'(verse 19).  They didn’t shake their fists at the Lord, but bowed the knee as if to say ‘please, Lord, help us!’.

Isn’t it too bad that so many of us wait until we’re knee-deep in trouble before we turn to the Lord for help?  Like we can handle it ourselves.  It’s taken me a lifetime to realize that my efforts are chicken-feed compared to all that the Lord wants to do for me, and through me.  So, I say ‘please’ much sooner.  Then as quickly as I can, utter those other magical words…’thank you, Lord’.  So easy to be blessed and then go on with our day, willy-nilly, as if we’re the luckiest fellow on the face of the earth.

How quickly we forget…that all our blessings come from Him.  Is it so difficult to say ‘Thank you, Lord’?  Those in this psalm didn’t think so.  ‘Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men.  Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy'(verses 21-22).  Maybe you should stop here for a moment and ‘count your many blessings’, ‘see what God has done’?

From the bottom of your heart…from your lips to His ears, utter those sweet words of thanksgiving.  Make that annual holiday a daily event.  Every day filled with words of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to our Lord, who loves to hear from us more than we could ever imagine.  ‘Please, Lord!’  ‘Thank you, Lord!’  Happy Thanksgiving!

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for always being with us answering our prayers in your way and in your time.  Thank you again.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.