Out of the Belly

Under the darkening skies full of lightning and thunder, the roaring seas threaten to tear the wooden ship apart. Distraught and fearful, you hear the conversations of men debating the troubling decision that lies before them. Murky clouds give way to hail, rain and turbulent winds as waves of water bear down upon the men and ship alike. Earsplitting sounds of bending wood at the ship's hull begin to show signs of breaking. Holding their victim tightly, two of the men walk him toward the plank's edge. "Do it, do it now!" yells the captain. He gives no resistance as they push him overboard. An eerie silence engulfs them all. Full of regret and remorse as every eye anxiously searches the rough waters for him. Calming skies now adorn the heavens as ringlets of light peek out from behind white puffy clouds. A symphony of cascading colors of yellowish-orange and bluish-gray show the beauty of God's handiwork.

Fighting to keep his head above water, thoughts of what brought him to this watery grave come to mind. In a moment of clarity, with a cracked smile, he thinks of family, home, warm bread and his dry, cozy bed. Through hazy, water-filled eyes, Jonah sees a huge shape moving toward him in the water. Perhaps, he thinks, this is where it ends for me?