In the Fish's Belly


Several years before I saw a movie titled Pinocchio. The character Pinocchio was a wooden puppet made by a skilled old carpenter named Gepetto. One thing led to another and a fairy gave life to the wooden puppet.  Pinocchio, although still a wooden puppet began to see, walk, talk, and ear like a normal boy. The old man fell in love with it and treated it like his child. Pinocchio got lost one day and his father went in search of him, he traveled across seas to other countries and on the way, his boat capsized and he was swallowed by a big fish.
After several scenes, Pinocchio also got swallowed by the same fish and he met his father in the belly of the big fish, it was a great reunion for them. The scene of the fish's belly was quite interesting. Although being a fable, it was a fairly big room partially flooded probably to the ankle. I remember seeing a table and I think a lit lantern... well it was obvious that after several weeks in the belly Gepetto had started living comfortably there feeding on small swallowed Fishes.
Fables aside, in reality anything of organic content that goes into the stomach hardly ever comes out the same way because the digestive juice made of acidic contents would have started the digestion process on it.
Fictions aside now we have heard of the biblical character Jonah who GOD sent on an errand and due to his disobedience by derailing from GOD's plan GOD caused a big fish to swallow him. He was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. The belly is being characterized by digestion, stagnation, decomposition, acid's adverse effects of burning and the likes. Right in here was where Jonah prayed unto GOD. Digestion would probably have started acting on him as Jonah himself testified in Jonah 2:2 "...i cried by reason of my AFFLICTION unto the lord and he heard me, out of the BELLY of HELL (Acids burning) cried I and thou hast heard my voice" GOD also being merciful and caring most likely reduced drastically the rate of digestion of the fish thereby saving his beloved; Jonah himself testified to the saying in Jonah 2:6b "...yet thou has brought up my life from CORRUPTION oh Lord my GOD". This shows that even in his chastenning GOD still cares. So unlike the fairytale, the belly of the fish is not a place where you can relax rather it is full of unpleasant events and discomfort. But who was jonah? He was a prophet of GOD - which means he had a defined intimate relationship with GOD, he served and worshipped GOD, he had a clear divine call upon his life. Why then was he in this unpleasant situation? GOD gave him an assignment and he refused to do it. He remained in that situation till he decided he was going to carry out the assignment: he said in Jonah 2: 9 "but ...I will pay that that I have vowed" and immediately he concluded this GOD approved his exit from that unpleasant situation.
Many are presently in the belly of the fish irrespective of their status in GOD. Meaning if you notice things falling apart for you, characteristics such as incessant fruitless struggle, disappointments, rejections, Mortgage repeatedly failing, business crumbling, financial difficulties, failures or the likes keep recurring in manners beyond normal that makes you feel 'Why me all the time?' Please ponder deep; has GOD required you to do anything and you have probably delayed or refused to do it? Has HE told you to render assistance to someone and you're probably waiting to be more buoyant before you can help thereby delaying? Has HE sent you out to preach and you are hesitating? Has HE told you to support HIS mission and you are delaying? Why not make the decision today by assuring HIM that whatever HE has required you to do, you will do it.
In one way or the other we all have something GOD requires us to do; Do you know yours? This new year, It is time to get out of that fish's belly.

Happy new year, Remain Blessed.

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