There Are No Atheists in Foxholes

Jonah 2:1-10

1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. 2 He said,
“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble,
and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,
and Lord, you heard me!
3 You threw me into the ocean depths,
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
4 Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence.
Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’

5 “I sank beneath the waves,
and the waters closed over me.
Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
6 I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
I was imprisoned in the earth,
whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
snatched me from the jaws of death!
7 As my life was slipping away,
I remembered the Lord.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
in your holy Temple.
8 Those who worship false gods
turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
9 But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
and I will fulfill all my vows.
For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”

10 Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

It's been said that there are no atheists in foxholes. The meaning behind that statement is pretty clear to me. When a person is confronted with the reality that they could die at any moment, there is an acknowledgment that God does exist. Even though Jonah was not an atheist he was acting like one when he was running from the call of God on his life. Even when the storm was raging on the water when he was in the boat that wasn't enough to cause him to realize his need to listen to that call. It says that this prayer that Jonah offers to God is done when he is inside the great fish. It seems that he didn't pray this right away either since chapter 1 tells us he spent three days and three nights inside the fish and here in verse 10 it says when he prayed his prayer that the Lord had the fish spit Jonah out onto the beach.

Why do you think it took Jonah three days and three nights to pray this prayer? Why do you think it takes an atheist that long to acknowledge that God does exist? Is it ignorance? Is it willful disobedience? I would probably say it is more associated with pride than anything else. Pride causes more heartache for people than anything else or anyone else could. Pride causes us to to stupid things to others and to ourselves, which is ironic since pride would lend itself to self-preservation.

Father I am thankful that it did not take me being in the belly of a great fish before I accepted the call you have on my life. I fully embrace that call and will do what You ask when You ask me to do it. I do agree with Jonah when he states, "For my salvation comes from the Lord alone." My salvation does come from the work you did for me on the cross and I thank You for that. It is through Your sacrifice that I can know what the Father's will is for me. It is because You arose from the grave and ascended to heaven that the Holy Spirit can reveal the Father's will to me directly. I thank You for Your plans for me and if I get in the way I confess my pride to you and will put my flesh into submission to follow Your plan. I praise You today for the work You are doing in me and through me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)

The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you; The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).

Published by Erik L. Vakula
Daily Bread From the Word
Copyright © 2009 Erik Vakula, All Rights Reserved