A response to Mr.Albergotti’s poem, “Things to do in the belly of the whale.”

First of all, Mr. Albergotti, it was not a whale, it was “a great fish” (Jonah 1:17). And I don’t think Jonah did any of those frivolous things, just to pass the time. Well, perhaps he put notches in the ribs of the creature. Perhaps. But “Organize your calendar. Dream of the beach. Work on your reports?” I don’t think so.

I think Jonah had other things on his mind. Like, how long would God keep him there in that most uncomfortable place? And where was this fish taking him? Did he know he was on his way to Nineveh?

I think he pondered his foolishness. How could he have believed he could run from the almighty God? How could he have believed his disobedience would go unpunished?

He probably did “review each of (his) life’s ten million choices.” He probably realized many of them could have put him here sooner, if not for the grace and mercy of his God, or, perhaps, because of it. I think he prayed, petitioned that God for more of the same. He knew he couldn’t do what God called him to do without grace and mercy.

Jonah prayed a prayer of faith there, in the belly of that fish. He declared God’s faithfulness and knew he would once again worship in His temple. Jonah knew the story wasn’t over yet. He knew he would live; this was just beginning of the story.

But God had more to teach him, because Jonah was, indeed, a foolish man. He did not rejoice when he saw what God did in Nineveh. He was angry. He wanted those wicked people to perish in fire and brimstone.

So God gave him a shade plant and then took it away. When Jonah groaned and wanted God to end his life, God reminded Jonah that He was in control, it was He who created the people of Nineveh and He who created the plant. It was He who would control their destiny. Jonah had no agency in either case, other than to obey.

But God was merciful. He did not take Jonah’s life and though we do not know what happened to him after Nineveh it is safe to assume that God had more for him to do.

Perhaps Jonah finally learned the lesson God was trying to teach him. Perhaps obedience was a bit easier after the lessons he learned in Nineveh. Perhaps not. In either case, God did not give up on him.

God does not give up on any of us. That’s the most powerful lesson in the story of Jonah. Putting him in the belly of a fish was an act of love and grace and mercy. And we can be assured that all of that is poured out on us as well. “Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jeus Christ the Father’s Son, I truth and love” (2 John 1:3).

****

Pre-order Flecks of Gold, my next book filled with stories, devotionals and poetry all about the Yukon.