When and Where We Can Pray
Jonah 2:1-9
By: Rev. Dr. Cullian W. Hill
As I come to us on this
Prayer Meeting Night,
which is Wednesday
Night, there is no
better example than the
Prophet Jonah, that you
can pray any time and
anywhere. From Sheol and
the fish’s belly Jonah
prayed. It isn’t the
place where we pray that
matters as much as it is
the prayer which we
pray. You can lift up
your heart to God
anywhere.
When we think of
Jonah, we seldom think
of a man with great
faith. Jonah’s faith was
so great that when he
prayed in the fish, he
did not make one single
request, even though his
needs were still very
desperate. His prayer in
the fish is one of
testimony about the
workings of God. Jonah
could have done other
things than pray. In
fact, few would pray in
Jonah’s case.
When people get
into tough circumstances
today, they often give
up in futility, or they
scheme and connive to do
evil, or they curse God
as Job’s wife told him
to do; “Curse God and
die.” (Job
2:9) Others get
drunk or turn to drugs
to help them through the
circumstances. But all
substitutes for faith
are only additions to
the problem. Faith is
the only successful
solution no matter what
our situation is.
I know we do not
associate Jonah’s life
with faith, but we
should, for he
demonstrated tremendous
faith in his experiences
in Sheol and the fish.
Jonah had everything
against him. His
behavior had been very
bad, and then his
circumstances became
impossible. But Jonah
clung most tenaciously
to God and got the
blessing. Jonah’s faith
encourages us to never
let go of God no matter
what our situation. (James
4:3) “Ye ask,
and receive not, because
ye ask amiss.” “He that
turneth away his ear
from hearing the law
even his prayer shall be
an abomination.”
(Proverbs
27:9) Jonah knew
the word of God. [Jonah
2:2,3; Psalm
18:6;
Jonah 2:4-7, 2:9;
Psalm 50:14]
The world has its
slogans, phrases, and
philosophies which it
incorporates in its
speech, in its
communication, and in
its lifestyle. Too often
when Christians pray,
they sound much like the
world for their prayers
are filled, not with the
word, but with speech,
thinking, and behavior
of the world. No wonder
so many prayers are an
abomination to the Lord.
Let the Word of God
guide our praying.
Rev. Dr. Cullian W.
Hill, Pastor
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