“…to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22

The Lord said to Jonah, “arise and go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness is come up before me.” But, Jonah “hit the road and tried to run from the presence of the Lord.” Really? Where did he think he could go? He got on a ship headed to Tarshish…but God was already ahead of him. God had already prepared a great fish (we would say, a whale) to swallow Jonah. For three days and nights, Jonah found himself in the belly of a stinking whale, up to his waist in fish guts, with seaweed wrapped around his head, riding up and down on those terrifying high and low “death-defying rides” in the belly of the whale…in total darkness.

Imagine the sickening smell! He was probably vomiting, sick as a dog, begging God to help. But, God, in His mercy, “heard his prayer from down inside the belly of the whale!” Finally, when God thought that Jonah had learned his lesson of “disobedience,” God “spoke to the whale,” and the whale “vomited up Jonah on dry land!” The second time God said, “Arise and go to Nineveh,” you can believe that God didn’t have to tell him twice! Anything that you “even think” God is telling you to do, do it! Don’t wait till you have a have “sign” or a “fleece” or “voice from Heaven.”

Just do it! It is better to do it, trying to obey the Lord, rather than to say, “I wasn’t sure it was God, so I didn’t do it!” You may find yourself “in the belly of the whale!” Listen with your heart, and God will speak to you! Have a blessed day, and “watch out for those whales!”

Sherry