At the close of Jonah 1, we left our "hero" (using that term very loosely) sitting in the stomach of what the Bible describes as a "great fish," swimming- quite literally- in the correction of a God that he couldn't escape. Upon receiving his marching orders to the wicked city of Nineveh, Jonah took off in the opposite direction, running defiantly from God's call with passion and purpose.
Despite his best (or is it worst?) efforts, he finds that just can't get away. Running from the call of God ran him smack dab into the middle of the correction of God, initially in the form of a frightening storm, and ultimately in his forced relocation to his new underwater "home." God has successfully regained Jonah's attention. And now, he speaks. What he says is both enlightening and empowering as you consider your own response to the discipline of God in your life.
Correction is a strange animal. It can be simultaneously frustrating and freeing, possessing a profound propensity to both drive away and draw together. Never has this reality been more clear to me than in my newfound role as a father. Though there are admittedly plenty of times when I would like to believe my children are perfect, the reality is, even at a young age, they have a habit of occasionally showing their sinful cards, at which point I am compelled to exercise some fatherly discipline.
Though they been limited to only a handful up to this point, my disciplinary interactions with my daughter have revealed a strange and surprising connection between correction and comfort, one that extends well beyond human relationships to include our connection to the divine. The sequence usually goes something like this...
- Tristin does wrong.
- Tristin receives correction from Todd.
- Tristin is upset by said correction from Todd. Tristin cries.
- Tristin reaches out to Todd for comfort in the midst of correction. Tristin is calmed.
What is it about the relationship between myself and my daughter that causes her to run to me for comfort even as I am disciplining her disobedience? I suspect that the answer has something to do with trust and security. My daughter recognizes that my correction of her is evidence of my love for her. Even in her little one year mind, she somehow trusts my heart toward her even when she does not appreciate my actions. And besides, where else is she going to run? It is my role as her father that affords me the right and the ability to both correct and comfort.
Now, let's revisit Jonah's story and connect the dots of the principle into your relationship with God. There's a sense in which the correction of God is the perfect backdrop for the comfort of God. Much like Tristin with me, when you find yourself in the midst of His discipline, you have a choice to make- you can run to Him, or you can run from Him. But in choosing, consider this question- If you choose the latter, where else are you going to run?
Jonah, fortunately, chose wisely. Jonah 2 records his raw, honest, "gut level" prayer from the belly of that fish. He acknowledges his own sin, receives God's correction in the midst of it, then turns to Him for comfort in his distress. What's amazing is that despite Jonah's sour attitude and defiant actions up to this point, He finds that God hears and responds graciously. The comfort of God is available even in the correction of God. God responds favorably to Jonah's humble plea and commands the fish to "vomit" him onto the dry land. Gotta love that imagery :).
What's even more significant about Jonah's prayer is the way in which he speaks to God about God. By Jonah's own admission, God has just "hurled him into the deep"...and yet instead of bitterness, Jonah offers up expressions of praise and thanksgiving. He has confidence in the trustworthy character of God, even in the midst of a dark and desperate situation.
This text teaches us something huge about the way you and I ought to respond to the correction of God, and even more so about the profound security that we possess in connection to Him. Notice that while Jonah's relationship with the Father was damaged by his disobedience, it was not destroyed. God still wanted something to do with him. Be encouraged by the truth that if you are "in Christ," He feels the same about you.
When you find yourself in a season of self-inflicted suffering, receive God's correction in your life...then run to Him for His comfort. Pretending everything is alright when you are sitting in the proverbial "belly of a fish" will do you no favors; it will simply isolate you and alienate you further in your relationship with the only One who can make things right again. God desires your "gut level" honesty today. Besides, being God, He already knows your heart. No matter how far you've fallen, He's not finished with you yet. Will you run to Him today rather than running from Him?
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