"A Voice of Thanksgiving"

“A Voice of Thanksgiving”

 

Those who cling to worthless idols forsake faithful love, but as for me, I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving.  I will fulfill what I have vowed.  Salvation is from the LORD!             Jonah 2:8-9

 

Jonah, a prophet of the One TRUE God, knew what it was like to CLING to a WORTHLESS idol.  An idol is ANYTHING that you put BEFORE GOD, and that ROBS Him of the OBEDIENCE, AFFECTION, and WORSHIP, which RIGHTFULLY BELONGS to Him.  For Jonah it was his INTENSE LOVE for his country, or his INTENSE PATRIOTISM.  Jonah was so CONCERNED about the WELFARE of his OWN country, that he REBELLED AGAINST God’s Will for him to be God’s MESSENGER to his country’s enemy, the ASSYRIANS.  Jonah REFUSED God’s order for him to go to Nineveh, to bring them to God for the SALVATION of their souls.  Jonah was chastised by God, for his DISOBEDIENCE, for one thing, and for his idol (intense patriotism) for another. Jonah was SWALLOWED by a VERY LARGE fish.  And it appeared that he was DOOMED to DIE in the belly of that VERY LARGE FISH. 

 

This Scripture, is a part of Jonah’s PRAYER to the Almighty God, while he was sitting, and concentrating on his situation.  He came to the point of REALIZING that he had GREVIOUSLY SINNED against God, by being DISOBEDIENT to the Will of God.  Jonah had made some SOLEMN VOWS to God and he intended to KEEP them.  He ACKNOWLEDGED that he was GUILTY of IDOL WORSHIP, and VOWED to SACRIFICE to God, and to God ALONE.  He did that with a VOICE of THANKSGIVING.  And he PROMISED that he would FULFILL that VOW.  Then he proclaimed:  SALVATION or DELIVERANCE is from the LORD!  And God commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

 

Many have had to face TROUBLESOME TIMES, because they have NEGELECTED God and His WILL for their lives, due to the fact, that they have made idols from things they have put before the Lord, and CLUNG TO, and WORSHIPED, instead of being OBEDIENT to God, and His Will for them.  They, LIKE JONAH, have REBELLED AGAINST God and is Will for their lives.  But some of them have ACKNOWLEDGED their DISOBEDIENCE and like JONAH, have CONFESSED their transgressions, and have had their RELATIONSHIP with God RESTORED.  And with a VOICE of THANKSGIVING, God has become their SALVATION.   Is He YOUR SALVATION?

 

If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, you are being DISOBEDIENT to His Will, and you are facing an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE.  If you, like Jonah, will ACKNOWLEDGE and CONFESS your SINS to Him, and are WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and to TURN AWAY FROM IDOLS of your OWN making.  And ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  BELIEVING, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God. And ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, you can, with a VOICE of THANKSGIVING, GO and TELL what God has done for YOU!  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!