God called Jonah to the great city of Nineveh and urged them to stop their wickedness. But Jonah didn’t listen, instead, he ran away on a ship sailing to Tarshish. God sent a great wind on the sea and a violent storm was about to break the ship. Jonah knew it was from God, hence he voluntarily said, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea… and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” (Jonah 1:12) Instead, the men on the ship tried their best to row back to the land, but they couldn’t as the storm grew fiercer. They cried out to the Lord in prayer before they threw Jonah into the sea. Immediately the raging sea grew calm. The Lord sent a big fish to swallow Jonah. He was inside the fish for 3 days and 3 nights!

When God calls you to an incredibly difficult task far away from home, a very uncomfortable mission to change the wicked, to do the impossible, will you take it up? Or will you run away like Jonah?

Most of us choose an easy way, we prefer to stay in our comfort zone and stay away from trouble… Why do we border to trouble ourselves in taking up an impossible mission for the sake of someone else?

God’s way and wisdom are beyond our comprehension. When God chooses you, it’s your privilege! Even if you attempt to run away, He will put you in a “training place” to crush you, purify you, polish you, and train you to be His vessel! God didn’t just let Jonah die in the storm. Instead, He put him in the belly of a big fish. That’s where repentance took place when Jonah started to pray, leading to a conviction that finally he was willing to sacrifice and fulfil his vow to the Lord with a song of thanksgiving.

Pastor GT Lim used the Chinese Bible verses of Jonah’s prayer in composing a song called 约拿的祷告 Jonah’s Prayer. The melody sentimentally reflects the agony emotion of Jonah in the belly of the fish. He was in distress as his life was ebbing away in a dark unknown, uncomfortable, unseen environment with the seaweed and other eaten fish around him. Imagine -- no food, no water, no air, can’t sleep, can’t walk, pitch-black, nobody hears you… … That’s the time when Jonah knew that no one else could save him except the Lord. He started to pray and cry out to the Lord. Yet, his prayer also reflects his admiration of God’s wonder and power, a judgemental God, yet a merciful God. The salvation comes from the Lord alone. Finally, the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (Jonah 2:10)

May Jonah’s Prayer lead you to longing for God in times of distress.  There are times in life when nobody can help you except the Lord. Go to Him in prayer earnestly.