Deliverance From Within

You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. Jonah 2:6b (New King James Version)

What a proclamation of deliverance! While Jonah’s pit was both that of disobedience and then near death, we too know what it is like to be in a pit. I think of Bible characters whom God brought out of pits. Joseph was in the pit of prison, Moses was in the pit of the wilderness, Ruth was in the pit of widowhood and famine, David was in the pit of adultery, murder, and fear, Paul was in the pit of persecution, etc…

For most of her life, my mother battled the pit of depression. I have known family members who battled (and still do) the pit of alcoholism. I have a friend who battles the pit of loneliness and rejection. Several close friends are presently in the pit of illness. For 30 years I was in a pit of emptiness. These pits are not places in which anyone wants to be. They are uncomfortable, difficult, and lonely. But we have a God who is faithful to deliver!

I find myself wondering about circumstances that some dear people endure and it appears their deliverance may not be seen in this life time. What do I do with this verse in that case? I realize there is still deliverance. God can still deliver them from despair, discouragement, hopelessness, bewilderment, and feelings of abandonment. For I remember that Jonah spoke these words while he was still in the belly of the fish…not when he was standing on solid ground!

What is your plea this morning? If you are lonely, God is present! If you are empty, God is the One who can fill you! If you are afraid, God is the One who comforts! If you are in need of forgiveness, God is the One who invites you to embrace His forgiveness! I find that for most of us, the torments of our internal world far surpass what we are experiencing on the outside. Mental anguish, heartache, regret, loneliness, and fear are not always seen by others but they are what we can find ourselves experiencing.

Jesus still says to each one of us, “Come unto Me and I will give you rest!” While the outward circumstance may continue for a season, I know that I can experience rest and peace of mind even in the midst of any storm. I can proclaim with Jonah that God has delivered me from the pit of my internal world.

Father, Your invitations to me abound! I come to You this morning to find my rest. Amen.

God's Greatest Concern

How is it you are sleeping? Get up, call on your God. Perhaps your God will be concerned about us so that we will not perish. Jonah 1:6

This captain speaks words to Jonah which are a sermon in themselves. If I had to phrase it in my own language I would say, “How can you ignore our plight? If you don’t care, maybe your God does!” Two verses come to mind because of his last statement. I Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you. And John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Both verses become powerful when we slip our own name into them. There is no “perhaps” about it. As a believer, I know to use the word “since” or “because” in front of a statement that refers to God’s concern. God is concerned and God has gone to great lengths to ensure that we do not perish. Where we spend eternity is the deepest concern of God’s heart.

This life is short and full of hardships. The past couple of days with the heartbreaking news of school shootings has caused us all to see that we really do live in a fallen, depraved, cursed world. The present war in Iraq remains a reminder of that as well. Watching loved ones suffer with different forms of disease and illness has a way of filling us with sorrow. Each of us have areas in our life that bring us face to face with pain, loss, and heartache. Taking all of that into account, I am reminded of the words someone spoke which are so true. For those who know Christ, this world is the closest thing to hell they will ever experience. For those who do not know Christ, this world is the closest thing to Heaven they will ever experience.

As believers, we have the privilege of letting others know the truth about what lies beyond this life. Our God does care and He has made a way for us to spend eternity with Him. While He desires that no one will perish, He leaves the choice to each individual. Ultimately we must do the same. Our main task is to live it before them, speak it to them, and allow God to work in their heart. Only He can bring them to the place where they are ready to listen.

Father, help me not to be asleep like Jonah when it comes to souls. May my life and words speak volumes of Your concern for mankind. Amen.