Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying,
“I called out to the Lord, out of my distress,
and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
Jonah 2:1-2
All alone in the belly of a great fish, Jonah turns to Scripture. To be this familiar with the psalms he recites, Jonah must have spent hours pouring over these words. While we may not want to imitate Jonah in all (or even most) things, we will pour over God’s word today like he might have.
As you read God’s word, take time to prepare your heart and mind. If you can, find a quiet space where you can be with God. Surrender your busy thoughts to him and ask him to speak in this time.
Read Jonah 2:1-10 out loud. Take your time, letting the words sink in.
Is there a word or phrase that stood out to you? Take time to reflect on why that word or phrase resonated with you today.
Read the passage again. Enter in to Jonah’s situation with your imagination.
What stood out to you this time? Did anything change?
Read the passage one more time. Listen again for what resonates in the passage.
Respond to your time in Jonah 2:1-10. Reflect on which words and phrases resonated with you while reading. Share them with God in prayer and ask him to help you understand why these words were so impactful for you today. Thank him for his presence with you and for the way he speaks through his word.
By Jessica Rust
