I thought I knew this one! But I didn't know it all!

Have you ever heard a bible story a million times and thought you knew all there was to ever know about the story? Well if you were raised in the church like myself you probably grew up seeing the felt characters of Jonah and the "big Fish" on the felt board at least once a year. I remember having that particulair bible story on books on tape. I loved this bible story. It made me feel that God was in charge and there was no where I could go, or run to that God would not be there.

Well I started a new bible study a few weeks ago, called "Jonah, navigating a life interrupted" by Priscilla Shirer.

This bible study has ROCKED my world! It has made me take a new look, an "adult" look at this story! I remember as a child thinking that God sent the whale/big fish to swallow Jonah because he was trying to run away from him! However when you re-read Jonah and I mean really SLOW DOWN AND READ IT!! Jonah 2:3-6 gives you insight as to what an amazing, God we really serve!

Jonah 2:3-6 (New International Version, ©2011)

³ You hurled me into the depths,
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,^[a]
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, LORD my God,
brought my life up from the pit.

Footnotes:

1. Jonah 2:5 Or waters were at my throat

Did You Get that?!??!? I had missed that main point for 41 years of my life! God was mericful, when Jonah had been tossed over board, he was going to drown in the water! Jonah called out to God for help! Even though he had not obeyed him, even though he was trying to hide from him. God had mercy on him, and saved him by having a Big Fish come and swallow him up, then in 3 days spit him up on dry ground. Wow! Our AMAZING GOD IS THE GOD OF SECOND CHANCES! That just made my head spin around!!!

If you have never done a Priscilla Shirer bible study I would encourage you to pick one up, or I loved her book, "One in a million" I did a book review on that you can click here to read it. Below is a photo of Priscilla Shirer if you have never seen her her blog is GoingbeyondMinistries check it out! Lots of good info!