Ron Aulbach

There is a verse in the Bible that speaks volumes about the depths of faith in God, and the power of prayer to transform hearts and lives. You might be quick to dismiss this verse and the context of the story as a children’s fable. But to really understand this passage we need to look closely at the story and accept it for what it is – a powerful essential lesson in faith. In the book of Jonah, our main character runs away from God’s calling and finds himself on a boat en route to Tarshish. Then a huge storm kicks up and threatens the ship so the sailors throw Jonah overboard where he’s swallowed by a large fish. Jonah is in deep trouble and prays, “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple” (Jonah 2:7).

Jonah’s life was “ebbing away.” Makes sense, being trapped in the belly of a fish would certainly lead to a sense of suffocation and panic. This verse could be used to describe the mental state of many people today. Feeling like they’re on the brink of a breakdown, full of anxious or depressed thoughts. Some are so discouraged that life isn’t worth living, it’s just ebbing away. It was in this moment of desperation that Jonah turned to the Lord.

“I remembered the Lord.” This is a powerful statement because it shows that Jonah already had a relationship with the Lord before this moment. He knew who God was, and had experienced His faithfulness and grace in the past. He had simply chosen to run away. But in his worst moment, he remembered who God was, and God was the only one who could save him. So he prays, and his prayer transports him out of his problems and into “His holy temple.” Certainly we can pray to God from anywhere, and He will hear us. But Jonah notes that it’s not just anywhere, it’s the holy temple. Not just any old temple. God is holy and our prayers should be offered with reverence and humility.

Jonah 2:7 is a beautiful example of what faith and prayer can look like. My hope is you would make this your prayer. That you would remember the Lord, when life is a struggle and when life is a breeze. May we be inspired by Jonah’s deep prayer, and may our faith in God grow with every experience we go through.