How can a God of love allow This?

 Read Jonah 2.

How many people, when under great pressure and awful dilemmas beyond their control, have questioned God's love and even His existence?  Sometimes hurting people will choose to rebel and forsake their faith.  But this chapter gives us great insights for an alternative view.

To say that Jonah found himself in a distressful situation grossly understates the problem.  It is one of the most famous incidents in the Bible.  The prophet rebelled against God's assignment to go to Nineveh and foolishly thought he could run away.  But the God of heaven is personally committed to each individual.  He loves us so much that He will only allow a person to go so far and then He will intervene.  The intervention can be painful.

When Jonah did not drown and he did not die in the belly of the great fish, he realized that God miraculously preserved his life.  This is a wonderful illustration of God's grace.  Grace is getting what we do not deserve.  Not only was he alive, but the distress brought him to repentance of his sin of disobedience.  Though human commitments to God, to marriage, to children, to employment and other relationships may fail, the LORD's commitments are sure and certain.

1. God proves His commitment to us by controlling our circumstances. (1:17)
"And the LORD appointed a great fish..."  It was not an accident that Jonah was swallowed up.  God was in control and prepared for this moment.

2. God proves His commitment to us by answering our prayers. (2:1)
"I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me."  The answer was not what Jonah original desired, but the distress caused him to submit to God's will for his life.

3. God proves His commitment to us by restoring our fellowship with Him. (2:7)
"When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple."

4. God proves His commitment to us by providing His way of deliverance. (2:10)
When Jonah changed his mind and heart toward God, the LORD changed Jonah's circumstances.  The reason God delivered him was so Jonah could get back to work on God's assignment.

Any other pursuit in life will ultimately prove to be empty and worthless.
"Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.  But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay.  Salvation belongs to the LORD!" (vv.8-9)