Grace in the Depths

For Meditation

At the end of chapter 1, the sailors reluctantly threw Jonah out of the ship and into the sea. Everyone, including Jonah himself, assumes that he will die, presumably receiving the just judgment for his rebellion and disobedience. As Jonah sinks down in the deep depths of the ocean to his watery grave, his heart begins to cry out to God for help and mercy. He is done for, his life is ebbing away, he is descending into a dark and lonely oblivion. He has no hope but God alone. Just as his lungs begin to collapse, he suddenly realizes he can breath again. To his shock and amazement, he finds himself inside the belly of some great ocean creature. He is wet, cold, cramped and trapped in total darkness, but he is alive. His heart swells with gratitude. God has heard his prayer! “You, O Lord, brought my life up from the pit!” (2:6). Though he is certainly not in an ideal scenario, Jonah is now convinced that God has forgiven him, is with him and is for him, and that he will deliver him fully. 

Chapter 2 is a prayer of thanksgiving that springs from Jonah’s heart from within the fish, expressing his gratitude to God for delivering him from death. Though Jonah never uses the word “grace” in the prayer, it is a beautiful articulation of the true meaning of biblical grace. Grace begins in the depths, when we have come to the end of ourselves and have no hope but God alone. Grace is grounded in God’s powerful and preeminent action, when we finally are able to accept that we cannot ultimately save or change ourselves and that our hope is in God alone. And grace results in new beginnings and new life, when we are able to start anew as a forgiven and restored person. We see all these movements in Jonah’s prayer.

In preparation for worship, try reading Jonah’s prayer and then also read Ephesians 2:1-10. Reflect on how Paul’s meditation on grace complements Jonah’s prayer. 

Jonah 1:17 – 2:10

17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said:

“In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
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.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
    from your sight;
yet I will look again
    toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,
    the deep surrounded me;
    seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
    the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
    brought my life up from the pit.

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

8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
    turn away from God’s love for them.
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
    will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.