Just about everyone has heard the Bible story about Jonah and the big fish. Most call it a whale, but the Bible says a big fish so that is what I will call it. The story, in a nutshell, is about this dude who God told to do something and he didn't do it. He got swallowed by a big fish and then ended up doing what God told him to do. The moral of this story is to obey God and not end up in a situation that is not the best for you. I see this story a bit differently...

First of all, Jonah wasn't just some guy in the Bible. He was prophet. Not just someone who knew about God, believed in God or followed God. Jonah was a prophet, an actual man of God.

Second of all, this is a story about free will. You know, that thing we all have that allows us to make up our minds about stuff. Don't get me wrong. It is a story about obeying, but I dig a bit deeper into it.

Thirdly, God has a sense of humor. He has to because He made the platypus. Think about it. That is one funny creature. God has to be funny or He wouldn't have made the platypus.

Let's get into the story of Jonah...

Jonah was a prophet that God told to go to Nineveh and preach. Nineveh wasn't a place for folks who believed in God. It certainly wasn't a place for a prophet. The people of Nineveh hated anyone and everyone who believed in God. They beheaded them and stuck their heads on stakes outside the city just because they believed in God. Imagine what they would do to a prophet.

Jonah knew this. He didn't want to go there. Who can blame him? I'm not a big fan of having my head cut off and stuck on a stake. So, Jonah went the opposite way. He was so desperate to stay as far away from Nineveh that he spent his own money to get on a ship to escape.

Just like the rest of us, God gave Jonah free will. Jonah had every right to disobey God if he wanted to. Not the smartest move for anyone one to make, but something we can all choose to do. Even though God gave Jonah free will, God is still on His throne and still in control. Jonah had a plan; God had an even better plan.

Big storm came up. The men on the ship through Jonah overboard and the big fish swallowed him. Poor stubborn, scared, stupid Jonah. He was in a pickle. Even though he had disobeyed God, God still was with Jonah - even when he was in the belly of a big fish. This is where I think the story gets a bit funny. Hilarious, actually...

There is Jonah in the belly of this big fish. He knew what he had to do to get out. It was simple - obey God and preach in Nineveh. Not Jonah. He knew God wasn't go to leave him, so he must have decided to wait this one out. He really didn't want to go to Nineveh.

There is Jonah, sitting in the belly of a big fish. It couldn't have been pleasant for him. Partially digested fish, seaweed and whatever else the fish ate. It had to smell really bad. You know what rotten fish smells like. I am pretty sure the belly of a big fish smells even worse.

God had to be in Jonah's ear.

It isn't written in the Bible, but you know God was right there with Jonah. I imagine that day one was fairly quiet. Jonah sitting there being stubborn. God, right by his side, waiting for Jonah to get it together.

Day two was a bit different. God probably started talking to Jonah. This isn't in the Bible, either, but I can just imagine what this conversation was like.

"Comfy, Jonah?" God asked. "Do you think it smells funny in here? Nineveh doesn't smell this bad."

Jonah just sat there. He was being stubborn. He made up his mind he wasn't going to obey and he was sticking with it.

"Nineveh isn't as bad as this. I'm here with you now. I will be with you in Nineveh, too."

Just silence. Jonah had nothing to say.

"Nineveh or the belly of a big fish? The belly of a big fish or Nineveh? The choice is yours."

I see that God is sort of playing with Jonah now. Not this was a game; the people of Nineveh had to hear about God and Jonah was the man for that job.

"Jonah, how long did Methuselah live?" God asked Jonah. "It was over 900 years. That is a long time to live...Could you imagine living that long in here? It sure does stink. A little claustrophobic, too...One sermon in Nineveh or a very long life in the belly of this big fish."

Jonah had free will, just like us. Those were his choices. Nineveh or a long life in the belly of a big fish.

I can just see God keeping this up until day three. I can just see Jonah being reminded of the nasty, half-eaten fish and the gross seaweed. God is reminding him the entire time of what a simple thing it would be to go to Nineveh. Needless to say, God had Jonah's full attention. What else can Jonah do, but listen to God?

"This free will thing isn't much fun, is it?" I can hear God asking. "You can sit here for a long time or preach one sermon in Nineveh."

Finally, three long days later, Jonah got it together. He repented and agreed to obey God. Immediately, the big fish spit him out on dry land.

I'm sure Jonah broke all the records getting to Nineveh. He didn't stop to bathe or eat or anything. He got himself there as soon as he could.

The Bible doesn't say what Jonah preached about. I see it as a short sermon that went something like this...

"Nineveh, unless you want to end up looking like me and smelling like me, you had better repent and obey God." He wipes the moldy seaweed of his head and kicks off the dead fish that was stuck to his legs. "Trust me, you can make your lives as miserable as mine was for three days or you can do what God wants you to do."

The sermon was so compelling, the entire city repented of their sins and started obeying God. Jonah, in his condition, would not have had to tell me twice.

How many times has God had to tell me, though? Too many to count. I've never spent three days in the belly of a big fish, but I've spent time in other places I didn't want to be. I ended up in those places the same way Jonah ended up in the belly of a big fish - I disobeyed God and refused to obey Him.

Let's consider the timetable. It took Jonah, a prophet of God, three days to get it together. I'm not a prophet and it has taken me much longer to get my act together. God is still there for me. He doesn't leave me. He gives me choices, just like Jonah. Sometimes, they aren't too pretty, but we always have choices.

Let's move this story to modern times. Narrow it down a bit. Let's make it about sinners and those who were saved, yet decided (using their free will) to do the wrong thing. How much time is God going to give them? He gave His prophet three days. God is really patient, so it can be years and years. He can make those sinners choices just as ugly as He did Jonah's. Yes, some will continue to live in their personal belly of a big fish. Stubbornness is something else! Others will see that big fish headed their way and decide to repent and obey. Then, of course, there are those of us who are somewhere in between.

Think about all the people in your life that you are praying for - those folks who aren't obeying God. Don't let that whole free will thing get you down. Pray God makes their choices as clear as He did Jonah's. It may take some time, but God's will will be done.

You see, I have a Jonah in my life. He is stubborn, too. He is running from God and from doing the right thing. Last time I checked, God is still on His throne. When Jesus said, "It is finished" when He was on the Cross, it was finished. Our battles were all won there at Calvary. We just have to talk to that mountain, tell it to be removed. When we say it with our mouths and believe it in our hearts, it is done. So simple. We all know that it is God's will for everyone to be saved. We just have to keep the faith, stay on our knees or on our faces before God and praise Him for what He has done.

I know my Jonah will be making the right decisions. I have to know that. Jesus took care of my Jonah's salvation over 2000 years ago. I am just waiting, praying and praising God, until time catches up with God.

Please do the same. Souls are depending on it!

Email me at dreamreleasers@yahoocom and I will stand in the gap and make up the hedge for the Jonah's in your lives. Please do the same for me and my Jonah.