Giving Thanks Underwater
Jonah 2
“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: "I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me. ‘Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and Your waves passed over me.’ Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple. The waters encompassed me, even to my soul; the deep closed around me; weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple. Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy. But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.’ So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”
Verse 1, “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly.”
How can we Gain Thanksgiving?
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Cry out to God
Verse 2, “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me. Out of the belly of hell I cried, and You heard my voice.”
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Look to God in Hope
Verses 3 & 4, “For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and Your waves passed over me.’ Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’”
Verse 10, “The Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”
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Speak to God about His Help
Verses 5 & 6, “The waters encompassed me, even to my soul; the deep closed around me; weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.
Verse 9, “I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving.”
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Turn back to God in Heartfelt Obedience.
Verses 7 – 9, “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple. Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy. But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.”
Matthew 12:40, “As Jonah was 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth.”
How can Gain Thanksgiving?
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Cry out to God
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Look to God in Hope
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Speak to God about His Help
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Turn back to God in Heartfelt Obedience
