AUG 31 – WILL LOOK TOWARD YOUR HOLY TEMPLE!

“I have been cast out of your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple” (Jonah 2:4).

This is the prayer made by Jonah while he was in the fish’s belly. He resolved, “I will look again toward your holy temple.”

God Himself had prepared a fish to swallow Jonah when he changed direction and went to Tarshish instead of proceeding to Nineveh. It was not an ordinary fish but a big one arranged by God. It did not fail to fulfil the will of God. It had kept the prophet Jonah within its belly for three days and nights.

The thought of looking up to God came to Jonah only after three days. When the fish went deep into the sea, He felt the water surrounding him and the flood and the waves rolling over him. In that situation, when Jonah looked up to God, God was faithful to listen to him.

Dear children of God, have you backslidden from God today? Did you fail to fulfil the will of God? Even after dedicating yourself to the ministry, did you not do it wholeheartedly? Do several troubles follow you because of this? Even in such situations, look up to God. Let your eyes look up to the holy temple alone.

God who exalted Jonah by giving him another life and powerful ministry will also listen to your prayers. One who blessed Jonah with a new life will also make everything new for you. Apart from looking up to God, call up to Him. Pray fervently. Our God can be looked up and called up to at any time and from any place. At any time, you can get nearer to His Throne of grace.

Whatever be the situation, whether in the belly of the fish or put into the lion’s den or made to walk amid the flame of fire, one can look up to His golden face. Look at Jonah firmly saying that he would look towards the holy temple.

Dear children of God, will you resolve in the same way? Your problem may be big or small or your struggle may be mild or severe; whatever be the situation, look up to God. Call up to Him alone.

To meditate: “Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).