The Belly

Why does it feel so good to be in the belly of a whale? What is it about the human heart that chooses selfish desire over God’s wisdom? Time and time again we choose to run – tripping over ourselves as we go, to the belly of a whale. One more time we decide to go splash around with guts, dead fish, seaweed, all kinds of slime and yuk in the belly. Or maybe your choice of a hiding place is wallowing with the pigs. Whether we’re a prodigal running away or a prophet refusing to go, or somewhere in between – we all at times, choose the guts or the muck.

Sometimes it’s small daily choices. Sometimes it’s one whopper of a choice that lands us there. There are times I don’t realize it – choices I make when all of a sudden I’m swimming with seaweed and I wonder how I got there. Other times I know – I look right at Him – turn away and decide to go mudding. Times I’d rather forget, like at my 20th reunion where I hung out with my high school boyfriend the whole time. (Already confessed and forgiven). And those times I can’t shut my mouth and I keep talking with Philippians 4:8 no where close in my mind. Or that time I lay in a heap on the floor because I wouldn’t listen to His voice, I didn’t believe His Word, and the belly of that whale felt safer. And time and time again God and His ridiculous grace calls me out. Out of the belly, out of the sty, out of the grave.

How about you? Is it an addiction? A flirtation? A fear or stubbornness? Is it unbelief? What area of your life are you closing off to His voice. You can keep running but He will keep pursuing. And pursuing and pursuing with His all consuming grace.

All through the Old Testament He calls us a stiff necked people. Stiff necked people who would rather flop in the mud than wear a robe.

Stiff necked people who’d rather swim in guts than walk on water.

Just read Jonah – it’s all in there