Sun 3 Sep

When in trouble what do you do? It is a good question to ponder as we pause for Father’s Day and go into next week asking “Are you okay?” (RUOK) Where do you seek help if needed? Where do you go to seek help if not OK as a dad or in general as an individual. Perhaps you have already asked dad’s either your own or other dad’s whether they are OK. 

Jonah was in trouble. He was in deep distress. It was distress of his own making as he had disobeyed God. He brought trouble on the sailors. Jonah was not OK. Far from it! God gave Jonah a ministry to fulfil. It was a challenging ministry. “Go to Nineveh, a city you are at war with, and preach the good news.” 

When in trouble Jonah found an unusual place to pray. In the depths of the ocean, in a huge fish, in the midst of a raging storm he found time to sleep and pray. Usually we spend time battling the cause of our distress, rather than praying. 

Psalm 139 and Romans 8 are scriptural reminders that for those in Christ there is moment or place that we are out of God’s sight. So when in trouble – pray. It is comforting to know God is with us. I wonder if anyone asked Jonah – RUOK? What father will you ask – RUOK?