Jonah 1:17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah was in a heap of trouble. God gave him an assignment and he ran the other way. As he traveled by ship, the seas grew restless while he took a nap. The boat was going to capsize and there was no hope in sight. That is… until the sailors threw Jonah overboard. The sea chilled out but Jonah started to drown. It seemed like he was doomed to die due to his disobedience. Instead, the Lord sent the coast guard to rescue him. No? How about a life raft or at least a large piece of driftwood? No, the Lord sent an enormous fish to swallow him.
Am I the only one who didn’t see that one coming? The first three words of verse 17 are: “But the Lord provided.” That statement gets me excited, makes me think about God’s great power and might. Maybe God will even reach down from heaven and pull Jonah out of the sea. The Lord is about to provide, Jonah. Hang on – this is going to be awesome! Chomp. Down the hatch he goes. Inside a giant fish or whale of some sort. That’s provision? That’s provision.
When God says that He is my provider, maybe I have put that statement in too small of a box. I think that means a paycheck, the means to live comfortably. I doubt Jonah was comfortable inside that fish. Imagine the smell. Barf-o-rama. But it was the Lord’s provision, even if it didn’t look like a coast guard ship. You know, the Lord promises that He will provide for His people. He promises that He will take care of us. Look, I prefer the coast guard ship, but I have found that He sometimes provides in unconventional ways. It’s not about money, it’s about Him taking care of us. He might send the life raft, but He also might send the fish. Do you need the Lord to rescue you today? Call out, but brace yourself for whatever He sends your way. It might look strange, but it will certainly save the day.
Abundant Life 