Jonah thought he could run away, get out of Israel, leave God’s jurisdiction, and he could avoid obeying God’s call. Someone could have asked Jonah, “How is that working out for you?” He was met by a storm, thrown overboard and swallowed by a big fish God had prepared as his rescue boat. Jonah found himself inside the belly of the fish, at the bottom of the sea with sea weeds wrapped around his head and his whole outlook changed. He shouted, “Salvation is of the Lord!”
Yes it is! And it always was. That includes on good days just the same as on bad days. Jonah felt his need of God so he called upon God. His felt need motivated his prayer. Which brings me to observe that one reason we don’t pray more, we are too self-sufficient. We are getting along pretty well. Instead of giving glory to God for his blessings, we go days without number in forgetfulness of God.
It is difficult to get people to Christ because they have no felt need. Actually their need is acute. They are lost, dead in sins, blinded by the devil, and only one heartbeat away from beginning eternity in hopeless torment in hell. They just don’t understand how desperately they need the salvation of the Lord. It is true – “you have to get them lost before you can get them saved.”
People do need the Lord. The songwriter got it right. “I need Thee, O, I need Thee, Every hour I need Thee, O, Bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee.”
J.T. Parish is the Founding Pastor of Christian Fellowship Church. He further serves on the Church Leadership Council, as Chairman of the Board of World Missions and Evangelism, and as President of the School of Ministry.