"And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land." (Jonah 2:10)
Why did the Lord command the fish to vomit Jonah out? Jonah was obstinate from the beginning. He was commanded to go to Ninevah to preach to the lost city. He rebelled and took a boat headed the opposite way to Tarshish. Did he really think he could escape God's will by running to the open sea that God created? Seems like a redundant question until I pose it to the mirror. Do I really think I can escape God's will for my life by avoiding or delaying obedience to His commands?
God could have raised up another prophet to deliver the message. But He chose to take Jonah through a miraculous journey into the belly of a fish. He loved Jonah enough to keep him in the plan. According to Jonah 2, the fish actually saved Jonah from drowning. Only God could make being swallowed by a fish a good thing! The near death experience caused Jonah to praise God and give Him thanks. His praising of God gave the signal that he was ready to continue the journey to carry out God's will. He set out a second time to Ninevah, this time preaching to a city of repentant citizens ready to receive God's mercy.
We all need a readjustment sometimes. Sometimes we are moved by sweet conviction and sometimes we are motivated by fear. If I can just remember that everything that God has for me is GOOD all the time (Rom 8:28), His methods of readjustment for me may be less painful than Jonah's.
"And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ" (Phil 1:6)
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