约拿的祷告
读约拿书一章17节至二章10节
17耶和华安排一条大鱼吞了约拿，他在鱼腹中三日三夜。
1约拿在鱼腹中祷告耶和华─他的神，
2说：我遭遇患难求告耶和华，你就应允我；从阴间的深处呼求，你就俯听我的声音。
3你将我投下深渊，就是海的深处；大水环绕我，你的波浪洪涛都漫过我身。
4我说：我从你眼前虽被驱逐，我仍要仰望你的圣殿。
5诸水环绕我，几乎淹没我；深渊围住我；海草缠绕我的头。
6我下到山根，地的门将我永远关住。耶和华─我的神啊，你却将我的性命从坑中救出来。
7我心在我里面发昏的时候，我就想念耶和华。我的祷告进入你的圣殿，达到你的面前。
8那信奉虚无之神的人，离弃怜爱他们的主；
9但我必用感谢的声音献祭与你。我所许的愿，我必偿还。救恩出于耶和华。
10耶和华吩咐鱼，鱼就把约拿吐在旱地上。
信息分享
有人指出，除了约拿以外，一切约拿书中所记载的，都对神顺服。风浪听从神的话；船员听从神的话；大鱼听从神的话（且听从了两次！）；后来的蓖麻和虫子也都听从神的话。
然而，这位神顽梗固执的仆人，却迟疑了整整三天，才开口祷告，呼求神的救助。我们可以将第7节意译为：「感觉着生命渐渐离我远去的时候，我开口向你呼求。」约拿说他向着耶路撒冷神的殿求告，因为神曾应许过必在那里聆听祂儿女的声音。在鱼腹中的约拿，竟晓得圣殿的方向？！
请留意约拿所用的措辞：「我求告，我呼求」（2节），「我说……」（4节），「我就想念……」（7节），「我许愿……」（9节），和最后的「我必（定）……」（9节）。走了多长的路，他才终于走到这个境地啊。他的路本来可以很不一样，是神的手一直在他身上，直至他最终降服。
神再次开口说话──不是对约拿，而是对大鱼说。当约拿再次踏在干地之上的时候，他知道神赦免了他。悔改带来了即时的赦免与复和。
下一章我们会看到神如何给约拿第二次机会。我们今天基督徒之间也未必愿意彼此原谅，但在神却永有赦免之恩。当神赦免之后，祂便即时忘却了你的罪。我们的神，岂不是一位奇妙慈怜的神吗？
JONAH'S PRAYER
Jonah 1:17-2:10
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly.
2 And he said:
“ I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction,
And He answered me.
“ Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
3 For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O LORD, my God.
7 “ When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.
8 “ Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the LORD.”
10 So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Message
Someone has pointed out that everything in the book of Jonah obeyed God, except His servant. The storm obeyed. The sailors obeyed. The fish obeyed God (twice!). And later the vine and the worm both did what God wanted.
But God's stubborn willful servant seems to have delayed three days before he finally prayed and asked for help. We could paraphrase v.7 - 'When I finally felt my life slipping away, I cried out for your help.' Jonah said he prayed towards God's temple in Jerusalem, the place where God said He would always hear the prayers of His children. We could wonder how Jonah knew which direction the temple was.
Notice the words Jonah used - 'I called, I called for help.' (v.2) 'I said…' (v.4) 'I remembered…' (v.7) 'I have vowed…' (v.9) Finally he said 'I will…' (v.9) What a long time it took to come to that place. His story could have been so different. But God kept the pressure on him until he yielded.
Then God spoke again - not to Jonah but to the fish. Jonah knew he had been forgiven when he felt dry land under his feet once more. Repentance brought immediate forgiveness and restoration.
In the next chapter we will see how God gave Jonah a second chance. Christians don't always give other Christians another chance but God does. And when God forgives, He forgets. Don't we have a wonderful God?