A Faith Uncontained

Reflection 59 from Matters of the Heart, a series of Orthodox reflections on faith and life.

Verse: ‘Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly’ – Jonah 2:1

See Also:

Psalm 129 (130):1

On account of the great prophet’s disobedience, he was thrown to the bottom of the sea only to be swallowed by a great fish. Jonah found himself in the deepest and darkest of prisons but did not despair. Rather than become overcome by the hell in which he finds himself, Jonah turns the beast’s belly into a sanctuary, a place where he offers immense prayers before the Lord. The glorious repentance and faith of Jonah is a marvellous lesson to us all.

Like Jonah we too ought to sanctify even the most disparaging situations by offering ourselves to God in complete surrender to His divine will. When overcome by life’s vehement waves and swallowed up by the jaws of destruction, we need not despair. For the Lord is our deliverer and the only hope to those who fall prey to life’s afflictions. Only cry to the Lord as Jonah did and you will emerge from belly of the beast unscathed.

Prayer

Like Jonah I cry out to the Lord because of my affliction, knowing too well that He will answer me (Jonah 2:2).

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