The Sovereignty of God

A fourteen-part quiet time series from the book of Jonah, to conclude on Friday, April 11, 2025

By Jasmine Britto, Kerala, India

Part 6

Jonah’s prayer is filled with direct references to the Psalms.

Verse 2 – Psalm 120:1

Verse 3 – Psalm 69:2, 42:7

Verse 4 – Psalm 31:22

Jonah’s trials led him back to Scripture. Often, we do the same—when we feel desperate and have no way out, we turn to God and cling to His word. Jonah knew the Scriptures, and even in the belly of the fish, he had them hidden in his heart. He relied on them as a source of light in his darkest moment.

‘Exposure to biblical truth doesn’t ensure a godly life’ – Skip Heitzig

Jonah knew God’s word, but he wasn’t applying it to his life. Simply knowing Bible verses doesn’t guarantee that we are living a godly life.

Do we truly have God’s word in our hearts?

Are we transformed by His truth, or do we treat it as mere knowledge?

Key reflections from Jonah’s prayer

Verse 3: “You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.”

Jonah does not blame the sailors for throwing him overboard. Instead, he acknowledges that it was God’s doing and that God was working through them to fulfill His purpose. Jonah does not see God as unjust for allowing him to go through this trial, even though he had been serving Him for years.

Verse 4: “I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight, yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’”

Jonah realizes that his disobedience has distanced him from God—not just physically, but spiritually. He longs for the connection and communion he once had with God.

Verse 7: “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.”

At his lowest point, Jonah humbles himself. He recognizes that he is slipping away from God and needs to return to Him. He longs to be in God's presence once more.

Verse 8: “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”

An idol is anything that captures our affection more than God. Jonah’s idol may have been his reputation. He feared how people would perceive him if he obeyed God’s call to preach to Israel’s enemies. He was more concerned about his image than about following God’s will.

Jonah promises to let go of these idols and obey God. However, even after repenting, he later hardens his heart again. Despite knowing this, God still responds with kindness and mercy. This reveals God’s unfailing grace—He forgives us when we turn to Him, even though He knows we will stumble again.

Oh, the mercy and grace of our God!

PRAYER FOCUS

Let’s ask God to help us identify the false gods and idols in our lives so we may fully surrender to Him.