Jonah was a man who had been  called by God to go to the city of Nineveh to take God’s message. Jonah’s answer was to purposely board a ship going in the opposite direction. Then God intervened by causing a violent storm to break out and this storm led to Jonah being thrown into the sea. In the sea God sent this big fish to swallow him, and from inside the belly of the fish Jonah repented and began to pray to God from whom he was running. And through Jonas’ prayer we learn the lesson that God taught him while in the belly of the fish.

Jonah 2: 3-7

3 You hurled me into the depths,into the very heart of the seas,and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakersswept over me. I said, ‘I have been banishedfrom your sight; yet I will look againtoward your holy temple.’ 5The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me;seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6To the roots of the mountains I sank down;the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. 7“When my life was ebbing away,I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you,to your holy temple.

Now let me ask you this question. When Jonah was being thrown into the sea if you had asked him, “Jonah did you learn your lesson?” he probably would have said, “Yes I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never run from God again”. But God knows best, God had not yet finished His lesson. So God sent this big fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of that fish for three days. God not only orchestrated the circumstances that brought Jonah back He was also orchestrating the circumstances that would cause Jonah not to want to run again.

God’s Discipline Is Thorough

I don’t know about you but when I’ve run from God as soon as things start going bad I say to God, “I give up, I’ll do whatever you say”. But what we learn from the story of Jonah is that God’s discipline is thorough. For Jonah it was three days in the belly of the fish, for you and me it may be weeks or maybe months in some very difficult circumstances. But these difficult circumstances are not an indication that God is mad at us. They’re an indication of how much God loves us.

For the Lord corrects those he loves,just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. – Proverbs 3:12 NLT

It’s simple, God’s disciple is thorough.

Heavenly father, thank you for your tough love. No one does it quite like you. Help me to avoid having to be corrected in the first place. I give up, I’ll do whatever you say.