“While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord.”

Jonah 1:17-2:10, And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, I called out of my distress to the Lord, and He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; Thou didst hear my voice. For Thou hadst cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current engulfed me. All Thy breakers and billows passed over me. So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Thy sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Thy holy temple.’ Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, weeds were wrapped around my head. I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to Thee, into Thy holy temple. Those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness, but I will sacrifice to Thee with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.” Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.

There’s nothing like being hurled overboard, sinking into the deep of the sea and being swallowed by a large fish to get you in the mood to pray! Even when we are unfaithful, God is still faithful, and He longs for us to turn to Him. We are so easily distracted by the cares of this world. Do we consider how we might “pray without ceasing?” Are we seeking to fulfill His purposes for our lives? “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” “For He is not very far from every one of us!”

Thank You that You do not give up on us, that You hear our prayer, and that “Salvation is from the Lord.”