Monday 2 February 2009

Bitesize Jonah (10)

JONAH - A USEFUL LESSON TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Jonah was a man of prayer
Out of the whole company on board that ship, he was the only man who knew how to pray to the one living and true God. All the mariners 'cried every man unto his god.' But those were idle prayers because they were offered to idols; they could not prevail because they were presented to dumb, dead deities. But here was a man who could pray - and who could pray aright, too - yet he was asleep.
Praying men and praying women - you who have the keys of the kingdom of heaven swinging at your girdle - you who can ask what you will and it shall be done for you - you who have, many a time in the past, prevailed with God in wrestling prayer - you who have received countless blessings in answer to your supplications - can you be, as Jonah was, sleeping in the time of storm? Can it be possible that he, who knows the power of prayer, is restraining it - that he, to whom God has given this choice privilege, is not availing himself of it? I fear that this may be the case with some of you; and looking at Jonah, a praying man sinfully asleep, I cannot help feeling that I may be speaking to many others who are in exactly the same condition.

Men & Women of OT, p180-181

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