WHEN WE HIT BOTTOM
When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you. Jonah 2:7
Jonah was a strange sort of man. On one hand, he was considered one of the great prophets of his time who served under the reign of Jeroboam II. On the other hand, he would have rather died than to see the wicked city of Nineveh converted. His controversial life certainly makes great material for Bible story books. No doubt Jonah led an uneventful life until the Lord had other plans.
One day Jonah was preaching in his hometown, and the next day he was bound for ports unknown. The Lord’s plan was for Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach to the people there. But Jonah had other ideas as he boarded a ship heading in the opposite direction. Before long he found himself fighting for his life in the belly of a fish. What a strange turn of events that led Jonah in a direction he never intended.
At times God’s people are also led in directions far from where they were heading. Their lives are quickly thrown into turmoil as unplanned changes enter their comfort zones. Sudden tragedies, bewildering health issues, and unexpected accidents enter the lives of God’s children. Like Jonah, in no time at all our lives can be changed forever.
It is difficult for anyone to deal with sudden tragedies. The feeling of helplessness can be overwhelming. Many have likened it to sinking in an ocean of despair as the waters of tragedy fill all around. Soon there seems to be no way to reverse direction. It just continues until we reach the sandy bottom of hopelessness. It’s a lonely place. But there is still hope. At these times God’s people realize there is no way out without taking hold of the Savior’s hand and relying completely on his mercy.
And so Jonah prayed, “In my distress I called to the LORD. . . . When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you” (Jonah 2:1,7). Jonah discovered that even in the deepest depths, God is still there.
What would we do without the gift of prayer to help us when we hit bottom? How could we cope with those situations apart from finding comfort and strength in the loving arms of Jesus? The Bible tells us that during times of weakness, the Lord becomes strong. Jonah realized that, and he soon felt the warmth of God’s love surrounding him. Jonah’s prayer ended with the assurance, “And you listened to my cry”.
Think of a time in your life when your weakness displayed God’s strength.
From The Gift of Prayer