I am loving the Lent Study from She Reads Truth and excited to take part in this week "She Shares Truth" study of Jonah 1-2
Approaching Lent I had never taken part, I always thought it was just for Catholics. But as I began to dig in and find out more I realized I wanted to participate in Lent this year: Tomorrow I will be sharing more about what we are doing as a family for Lent and what Lent means to me. But for now on to sharing the truth I found in Jonah 1 & 2. For me this story isn't about going somewhere as much as it is about doing something.
I was raised in church so the 'story' of Jonah has been heard many, many, many times! But in all honesty I have never actually just read it and dug in before. On day 1 of the Jonah study on shereadstruth.com it started to unfold to me in a new way. This week I have read it in every version I could think of to explore deeper meaning and truth and wow... This quote from day 1 really got my spirit moving.. "...desperately aware of the vastness of his sin; and is pulled, quite literally, from the dark depths of his self-made misery by a merciful God"
Right now I am stuck in the never ending roller coaster of health and weight loss... I've prayed about this struggle, I've asked for help and I've felt Gods pulling in the right direction and ordering the steps to freedom, He has clearly showed me the steps to take yet some how I blatenly ignore His wisdom and continue to 'wallow in the depths of my self made misery'
I know I need and want to lose weight and to get healthy and even have a doctor ordered diet, that I have trouble sticking to. Here I sit, the heaviest I have been since my last pregnancy, in the comfort of food addiction and laziness that keep me stuck and circling the same mountain again and again and again...Its as if I have heard God say "get up and do this and be free" but instead I jump ship and run the complete opposite way. When I have a day of utter defeat I tend to go overboard and do the complete opposite of what I need to do!
So here I am, on the brink of something great, with a choice to follow Gods desires for my life for health and wholeness or live in constant misery. God has called me to be more than overweight and unhealthy and stuck in the same battle. He relentlessly peruses me and shows me ways out and I've reached the point where I need to throw myself into depths of his grace and mercy and allow him to guide each step and follow His plan.
His plan for each person is different and though it may seem somewhat silly to focus this amazing story of redemption and grace to something like weight loss, it is what it is for me and as I read these chapters its what rung clear in my mind. It has been my greatest struggle and it's beyond time to stop running and repent and cast aside the laziness and just do go where He is leading me in this journey!
Jonah 2:1-9Then Jonah prayed to his God from the belly of the fish.
He prayed:
“In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to God.
He answered me.
From the belly of the grave I cried, ‘Help!’
You heard my cry.
You threw me into ocean’s depths,
into a watery grave,
With ocean waves, ocean breakers
crashing over me.
I said, ‘I’ve been thrown away,
thrown out, out of your sight.
I’ll never again lay eyes
on your Holy Temple.’
Ocean gripped me by the throat.
The ancient Abyss grabbed me and held tight.
My head was all tangled in seaweed
at the bottom of the sea where the mountains take root.
I was as far down as a body can go,
and the gates were slamming shut behind me forever—
Yet you pulled me up from that grave alive,
O God, my God!
When my life was slipping away,
I remembered God,
And my prayer got through to you,
made it all the way to your Holy Temple.
Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds,
walk away from their only true love.
But I’m worshiping you, God,
calling out in thanksgiving!
And I’ll do what I promised I’d do!
Salvation belongs to God!”
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