Jonah 2 Homework - Let the Son Shine

Jonah 2 Homework 02/04/2010

I really need a better word than that. Homework sounds so promising and so full of things to ponder and learn...I'll have to invent us a word that means thoughts and questions to ponder and discuss and pray over with sisters. One word for all that...I'll need more coffee.

"Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish...." THEN.
Isn't it just like us to pray once we're already overboard? Once we're already trapped in a vast sea of imprisonment? Jonah, poor silly human. Sinking to the very bottom of the ocean, entangled in seaweed, and growing ever closer to death, Jonah finally cries out to the Lord. Don't look at Jonah like that, we've all been there--where the mountains take root.
Lower than low and further from hope every moment.

Could it be that Jonah assumed that God would deliver him, so he simply waited for salvation?
Perhaps he felt too sinful to ask anything of the Lord he had ran from in disobedience.
I would love to hear your thoughts on what Jonah was thinking during those prayer-less moments!

Whether his delay in praying came from an expectation he had of the Lord, or shame, deliverance came when Jonah remembered Him. Remembering the almighty God keeps us from drowning in our sin!

Today's homework is a bit more personal, please don't feel that you have to share it, but know that you are safe in sharing God's goodness here. No matter what hardship He's brought you through, or bringing you through right now. Even if you don't share your homework answers, I'd love for you to share your thoughts on this chapter!

How do you handle those times in which you wait to pray?
What would help you to let go of whatever is keeping you at bay?
Do you find yourself remaining prayer-less in some areas as a way to not let go of sin?
What sin is God calling you to leave at the ocean floor today?
Has He freed you from the entanglement of sinful seaweed before?
How were you able to break free then?
Let's memorize Jonah 2:8...there is a power there I just can't pass by!
Here are a few different translations...the NIV is speaking so loudly to me!

Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love. (MSG)
Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty. (NRSV)
Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God's mercies. (NLT)
They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. (KJV)
Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. (NIV)

You'll find our study schedule here.
I can't wait to see how God blesses you today!

Comments

Deborah

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:40:59 am

I just wanted you to know that I am loving this study and it has really helped me to prepare for my event in April on worship...who knew I could get some much inspiration on worship from Jonah. I'll think on the "homework" and post later today, but for now I just wanted to let you know I've posted my thoughts at my blog.

Victoria

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:44:33 am

Been there. Read that. Good word!!! It's funny, but I started this Jonah study as a way of staying in the Word while trying to write about the last in-depth study. I couldn't imagine getting all in-depth again so soon. I never expected to learn a thing or two about the very topic I'm writing on! I'll be using this in the book for sure! Love how our God works!!!

HisFireFly

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 1:37:32 pm

Often I believe I wait to pray when I already know what God desires of me and I am afraid to ask and make it “real”. I also sometimes wait to tell God how I feel or what I think because putting it into words makes it impossible for me to deny, and denial can be a very comfortable place to live. Denial leads us to darkness and death, but it feels safe when we’re tapped in the middle of it.

God is asking me to leave fear of man on the ocean floor so that I am able to swim free in His mercy and grace.

His love and mercy brought me to repentance and allowed me to walk away from a life of sexual sin and self-idolatry. I simply let His forgiveness wash over me and over me and over me again until I could see the sin for what it was and see myself as the child He created.

Victoria

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 1:45:41 pm

I can't even put into words what a sweet victory in Jesus that last paragraph is, sister! Go will make a great testimony out of that escape He's got waiting for you now, too!

Personally, really personally, I am letting my lazy desire to not have too many things going at once keep me from doing the things I don't even know I should be doing yet. Did that make any sense? I want my sinful idleness--my worthless idol--and I cling to it instead of to the coat tails of Christ. It is pathetic and crippling me right about now.

Deborah

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 3:56:32 pm

This is how I did my "homework" today. I copied the questions and pondered them through the day. Hope this is okay. (except my color didn't copy over to highlight my answers)

• How do you handle those times in which you wait to pray?
I worry, can’t sleep, watch TV…anything but pray, usually make very unwise decisions
• What would help you to let go of whatever is keeping you at bay?
Getting rid of the guilt that I feel that I brought it on myself and deserve a silent God...God loves me and is just waiting for me to turn it all over to Him.
• Do you find yourself remaining prayer-less in some areas as a way to not let go of sin?
Yes, praying about it could be a way of confessing…and I might not be ready to confess yet, it's still comfortable and fun!
• What sin is God calling you to leave at the ocean floor today?
I love the idea of leaving it on the ocean floor, never retrievable again…I still have some issues of financial wisdom that I need to leave there, a marriage issue also….but both of these are like seaweed that I’m pulling off and letting go of…I see it floating away…my sin would be trying to pull it back and wrap it around me again…I’ve got to finally let it sink to the depths of the sea.
• Has He freed you from the entanglement of sinful seaweed before?
Yes, sexual sin, ungodly relationships….I still remember the “weightless” feeling when that “seaweed” was gone!
• How were you able to break free then?
Prayer before release….stepping out on faith (action)…complete release
• Let's memorize Jonah 2:8...there is a power there I just can't pass by!
This verse and this study has been so relevant today. I spoke with my brother and (without knowing I was doing the study), he started talking about how he felt like he was in the belly of the fish and had just been spit out and he knew God was doing a huge work in his life and yet his wife (who he just filed divorce papers on this week) was still in the belly and letting the seaweed pull her down, unwilling to cry out for help.

Tracy

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 5:27:29 pm

Aaaaahhh! I just wrote Jonah the sequel in the comments and it refreshed all by itself, leaving my new novel somewhere out in cyber-space! Oh, that stinks.

Ok, no crying. Just know that I loved being a part of it today. Obviously, God had other plans. Tomorrow, I write it in a document and paste in!

Thank all of you for being so transparent. It really touches me.

Victoria

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 10:10:22 am

Oh what an awesome God we have, ladies! His timing, His teaching, His provision, His love--divine. Divine!

Tracy...I feel for you...I've started copying everything as I write because I've lost posts and comments so often! You didn't lose your heartwork and it won't be lost on you!

I love you each. Thank you for sharing your heart with me and being so beautifully real. You are stunning.

Ali

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 8:03:59 am

What always strikes me most about this part of Jonah's story is the fact that he was in complete darkness for these three days. I mean, the kind of darkness where you can't even see your own hand in front of your face...pitch black. For most of us this would be a time of panic and fear. For Jonah, because his heart rested in the Lord's care and provision, instead decided to give thanks from that dark place, and for three days he PRAYED! I don't know about you ladies, but I have trouble clearing my mind to have 5 minutes of uninterrupted prayer! Most times, the "interruptions" come straight from my own busy brain. I think this is half my battle when it comes to my prayer life. Maybe I should follow Jonah's lead and just shut myself in my dark closet when I desire a talk with God!

In those times that I am waiting to pray, usually it comes in the form of procrastination, and as we all know that never leads to good things. I tend to take on the prayer requests in my own flesh and worry. I am a "back burner" it kind of gal, so many times my burner fills up and I find myself wondering how I got to such a place of worry.

I love that the memory verse is about worshiping false gods. For me, my false god comes in the form of time wasters such as tv and computer use. You know the kind....the mindless, lack of fruit bearing kind. I have taken a fast from the tv this month, and it has certainly helped me to see the emptiness behind it. I am certainly grateful for that!

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