I Will Pray to Him
Yesterday, Pastor gave a very interesting message on Jonah, one that I really appreciated. Many people give Jonah a hard time. He's certainly not the golden boy of the Bible. In fact, he's more of the 'black sheep' character. And, frankly, I don't quite get it.
I mean, what did he ever do? He ran away, sure, but didn't the Prodigal Son? And Jonah returned, too. Whether it was poverty and hunger or being inside a whale, to me it seems similar. And Jonah saved a city! I think it's time we recognize some of the finer qualities of this Jonah character. For instance, Jonah prayed.
In a Whale
1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said:
"In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave [a] I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the deep,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4 I said, 'I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.'
5 The engulfing waters threatened me, [b]
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O LORD my God.
7 "When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
8 "Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
Salvation comes from the LORD."
10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (Jonah 2)
There are a few things surprising about Jonah's prayer. First of all- location. He's inside a whale. It's dark, it's disgusting, it's scary, and it probably doesn't smell too nice, to say the least. I mean, when was the last time you were inside a whale, figuratively. It looked dark and dismal. You can't see the light at the end of the paper, or at the end of the workday, or at the end of the endless job applications. But, not only is Jonah praying in there, but listen to the tenor of his prayers! Jonah isn't crying all poor me, what a horrible situation. He is praying "with a song of thanksgiving," vowing to give himself to God. Some may say that's only out of fear. But what's wrong with that? I know I'd be scared, and plenty of us turn to God in times of fear... which we should do. We should turn to our Lord in all times, and we should fear the one who has power beyond our capacity to acknowledge it and recognize it.
Yesterday I went with my friend Jenn to pick up some chairs from a yard sale waaaaaay out towards the mountains. And I told her, "When I'm out here, I realize that Tucson is really beautiful." The mountains are huge. They seem to grow... and the quiet calm expanse somehow reminds me of the greatness of God. We should 'fear' (or honor, glorify, humbly come before) the one Lord Creator who was able to make all of this and make it good. He built these mountains, he can move them. If we were to call anyone from a belly of a whale, it should be God.
And I Will Pray to Him
In Brazil
Psalm 54
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Amaskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, "Is not David hiding among us?" [a]
1 Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might. 2 Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.
3 Strangers (Problems with data) are attacking me;
ruthless men (equations) seek my life—
men (presentations) without regard for God.
Selah
4 Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.
5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.
6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, O LORD,
for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from all my troubles (deadlines),
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes (Comps).
Psalm 55
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. Amaskil of David. [b]
1 Listen to my prayer, O God,
do not ignore my plea; 2 hear me and answer me.
My thoughts (data) trouble me and I am distraught
3 at the voice of the enemy (impending deadline),
at the stares of the wicked (presentation);
for they bring down suffering upon me
and revile me in their anger.
4 My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death (failure) assail me.
5 Fear and trembling have beset me;
horror has overwhelmed me.
6 I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
I would fly away (to Katie) and be at rest-
7 I would flee far away
and stay in the desert (in Tucson);
Selah
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter,
far from the tempest and storm."
9 Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech,
for I see violence and strife in the city (research).
10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls (computer screen);
malice and abuse are within it.
11 Destructive forces are at work in the city (time record) ;
threats and lies never leave its streets.
12 If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were raising himself against me,
I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend (PhD program),
14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
as we walked with the throng at the house of God.
15 Let death take my enemies by surprise;
let them go down alive to the grave, [c]
for evil finds lodging among them.
16 But I call to God,
and the LORD saves me.
17 Evening, morning and noon
I cry out in distress,
and he hears my voice.
18 He ransoms me unharmed
from the battle waged against me,
even though many (current situations with research projects) oppose me.
19 God, who is enthroned forever,
will hear them and afflict them—
Selah
men who never change their ways
and have no fear of God.
20 My companion (research) attacks his friends;
he violates his covenant.
21 His speech is smooth as butter,
yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,
yet they are drawn swords.
22 Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall.
23 But you, O God, will bring down the wicked
into the pit of corruption;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
will not live out half their days.
But as for me, I trust in you.
Psalm 56
For the director of music. To the tune of "A Dove on Distant Oaks." Of David. A miktam . When the Philistines had seized him in Gath. [d]
1 Be merciful to me, O God, for men (projects) hotly pursue me;
all day long they press their attack. 2 My slanderers pursue me all day long;
many are attacking me in their pride.
3 When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man (PhD programs) do to me?
5 All day long they twist my words;
they are always plotting to harm me.
6 They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
eager to take my life.
7 On no account let them escape;
in your anger, O God, bring down the nations.
8 Record my lament;
list my tears on your scroll [e]—
are they not in your record?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise-
11 in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can man (PhD programs, data) do to me?
12 I am under vows to you, O God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me [f] from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life. [g]
This trip to Brazil for Brad hasn't come without its trials... difficulties with data and recorded times, lost luggage and less time working in the field than he had hoped for. So yesterday, I sent Brad these Psalms, minorly addit-ed (I didn't take anything out... just added some anologies) for his situation. And I think we can all see ourselves there sometimes. Though it may not be PhD programs and data that are causing problems, it might be family conflicts or decisions or car trouble or work relationships or any number of things. And it's frustrating.
What I find beautiful about this Psalm is that David is not hiding his feelings... his fear... his anxiety... his frustrations... his wish to just be somewhere else. But yet, it is a beautiful Psalm. David constantly returns to: "God in who I trust," "I will trust in You," and "Cast your cares on the Lord."
And I will pray to Him in a Whale,
And I will pray to Him in Brazil,
And on the job,
And in the home,
And on a run,
And on the phone.
Yes, I Will Pray to Him
Here and There,
I Will Pray to Him Everywhere.
And He Will Hear the Prayers I Send,
Thank You, Thank You, Great I Am.
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