When you heard that the Bible reading was from Jonah, what was your reaction? You could be forgiven for thinking, "Oh, not Jonah again, I know that story forwards, backwards, and inside out. What could she possibly say that I don't already know and haven't heard twenty times before?" The story of "Jonah and the Big Fish", or as we more often hear, "Jonah and the Whale", is one of the best-known Bible stories.

Two of Jonah's prayers are recorded for us: the one he prayed when he was in the belly of the fish and the prayer he prayed after he had preached in Nineveh. I'm not going to particularly concentrate on Jonah's prayers, but I chose to read them because they are the parts of the story that we're perhaps the least familiar with.

We will look briefly at his prayers, but before we do, let's look back over what has brought Jonah to the point of praying. Firstly, what has brought him to this place in the belly of the fish?

God had told him to preach to the people of Nineveh. Now Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, and the Assyrians were enemies of the Israelites. They were well known for their brutality and violence, for their immorality and idolatry. They were not very nice people. Certainly not the sort of people you would want to sit next to in church! - at least that was what Jonah felt! These were 'unacceptable people', yet God wanted to give them the opportunity to change their ways, an opportunity to avoid destruction!?

This was just too much for Jonah. He headed off in the opposite direction. If you have an older translation, it probably says he set out for Tarshish, a newer translation may well say it was Spain. We're not exactly sure where Tarshish was, possibly Spain or Gibraltar or some other place in that general direction: the jumping-off point of the world: the gates of adventure; the way to the exotic, to the unknown. Anything was better than preaching to people he didn't like, people he found unacceptable.

So we see Jonah buy a ticket on a ship, go down to his bunk and fall asleep. While Jonah sleeps the ship puts out to sea and encounters a storm. In fact we're told (1:4) that God "hurled" the storm at them. These are experienced sailors, used to storms. The Mediterranean is known for storms, especially at certain times of the year, but this is something different, something beyond a normal storm. And these experienced sailors are afraid for their lives. They have two responses (1:5), one, to "hurl" the cargo overboard, and second, to pray to their various gods.

But then the captain discovers that there is one person on board who is not praying: Jonah! Instead he is sleeping! The captain wakes him up and tells him to pray. But does he? No! The prophet of God, the one person you would expect to be praying, is the one person who isn't praying.

The sailors decide to find out who's fault this storm is, so they cast lots. That was a common practice in the ancient world. It's not clear what the procedure was, but it probably involved throwing marked stones, something like dice. However they did it, God used it to identify Jonah as the culprit.

They then fire a whole series of questions at him, "Who are you?" "Where do you come from?" "What nationality are you?" "What is your occupation?" The equivalent today would be, "Let's see your passport!"

Jonah says that he is a Hebrew and he worships the God who made both the sea and the land. He admits that the storm is his fault because he's running away from God. "Hurl me overboard and the storm will stop." he says.

Now the sailors are even more afraid! They don't want to be responsible for his death so they try to row to shore. But it's futile. They come to the conclusion that Jonah's suggestion is the only solution. And then we find something perhaps a little unexpected. These heathen, superstitious sailors pray to the God who has caused this storm. But do we see Jonah praying? No! Still the prophet of God refuses to pray.

So the sailors throw Jonah overboard, and immediately the storm calms. Now they become even more afraid, if that is possible. Their response is to worship, and to offer sacrifices and promises to this God who is so powerful. Here we see heathen sailors, people who would normally know nothing of God, worshiping him. And God accepts their worship and saves their lives. Jonah, who should have known better, has turned away from God. In fact, in this early part of the story, the heathen sailors, more 'unacceptable people', are shown in a much better light than Jonah is.

But as Jonah sinks down into the waves, near to drowning, God saves his live. God sends a big fish to swallow up Jonah. And here, in the belly of the fish, Jonah finally prays. He praises God for rescuing him from drowning.

"When I was in trouble, Lord, I prayed to you and you listened to me. … I begged for your help and you answered my prayer. … I was almost drowned by the swirling waters that surrounded me. … But, you, Lord God, rescued me. … When my life was slipping away … you heard my prayer. … With shouts of praise, I will offer a sacrifice to you , my Lord. I will keep my promise, because you are the one with power to save."

"Lord, I knew from the very beginning that you wouldn't destroy Nineveh. That's why I [ran away]. You are a kind and merciful God, and you are very patient. You always show love, and you don't like to punish anyone, not even foreigners. Now let me die! I'd be better off dead."

"You are concerned about a plant that you did not plant or take care of, a plant that grew up in one night and died the next. In that city of Nineveh there are more than 120,000 people who cannot tell right from wrong, and many cattle are also there. Don't you think I should be concerned about that big city?"

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