God used a great fish to save Jonah to show him His grace and mercy. God could have allowed Jonah to die in his rebellion, but God had a different plan for his life. The story of Jonah is not about the big fish, but it is about redemption. God is the God of redemption. Redemption is to save us from our self-destructive condition to bring us to a new abundant life. A life full of grace, mercy, and love instead of unforgiveness and hate. Our redemption is only possible because God bought us from the slavery of sin with His precious blood that He shed on the cross. Ephesians 1:7 says, "In him (Jesus), we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." God used the great fish to swallow up Jonah to work in his heart. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. It took that long for God to work through Jonah's heart.
God never gives up on us, even when we rebel against Him. When we fail miserably, we need to remind ourselves of the grace of God that He showed us on the cross. God's desire is for us to repent of our sins. Proverbs 28:13 says, "People who conceal (hide) their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy." Jonah ended up in the belly of the fish because of his rebellion. God never gave up on Him. When we rebel against God, He is going to deal with us because He loves us. God will not allow us to stray from Him and not deal with us. The wonderful thing about our God is that He deals with us individually. None of His children will be left behind. He will do anything to keep us, for He is faithful forever.
God can use anything to save us from our self-destructive sin. With Jonah, God used the great fish, but in our situations, He may use something else. Let us not be hardened by any sin. There is nothing that we can hide from God. He sees everything and wants us to do the right thing and live in the freedom of His grace, mercy, and love by confessing our sins and repenting from them.
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully and meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speaks to you). Does God give up on me when I am in rebellion against Him? What does God do when I am rebellion against Him? What should I do when I am rebellion against God?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for not giving up on me, even when I am rebelling against you. Thank you for pursuing me to lead me back to you and to the right path. I confess all my sins to you and repent of my rebellion. Please help me walk in your ways so that I may live in the freedom I have in you. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.