Wasted Days

"Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17

One of the most well-known stories in the Bible is the tale of “Jonah and the Whale.” Even the youngest of us can give an account of the man who ran from God, was swallowed by a great big fish, and subsequently spent three gloomy days and nights in its belly. (Matthew 12:40) Familiarity with this Bible story is so remarkable that even many unbelievers know the drastic consequences of poor Jonah’s disobedience.

As we read through the book that bears his name, we may find many lessons that can be applied to our Christian lives. In the first chapter, we see Jonah’s divine call from his Lord: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me” (Jonah 1:7). However, the man escaped to Joppa where he boarded a ship on its way to Tarshish. Because of Jonah’s disobedience, God caused a great fish to swallow him. For three days and nights, the would-be prophet was imprisoned in its belly. Perhaps this predicament appeals to your adventurous side, but I wouldn’t want to be trapped in the belly of a whale for one second, let alone three days!

God later used Jonah to see revival in the influential city of Nineveh, but one must remember that three days were wasted prior to that spiritual eclipse. Keep in mind that the city of Nineveh was so enormous that it would take the average person three days just to walk around the perimeter. Countless events—wrong deeds that could have been righted, deaths, and more—would have taken place in that busy city during Jonah’s detention in the whale’s belly. I wonder how many people died and went to hell because of his disobedience? I wonder how many lives could have been salvaged, had he obeyed the first time?

“We Christians cannot afford to waste one moment in this world”

Jesus Christ said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9:4) We Christians cannot afford to waste one moment in this world. Circumstances—a harried driver unknowingly runs a red light or an otherwise healthy heart suddenly stops beating—can change in the blink of an eye; and, as a result, many step into eternity without knowing where they are headed. We do not have time to disobey God’s will—countless souls rely on “the power that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

I would hate to stand before our Lord one day, knowing that some or many of my days were wasted. How ashamed I would feel if He were to show me the souls I could have reached had I been obedient to Him. Let each of us do the best we can to make today and the days that follow not wasted days but, rather, ones full of “fruit that may abound.”

The Scariest Day of My Life

There have been a lot of scary days in my life! I once almost slid off the road in the snow; that was scary. One time, I couldn’t hear the soundtrack while directing the church choir on Easter Sunday… That was really scary, plus I felt like an idiot! I could tell story after story of when I’ve been freaked out at certain situations in my 24 years of life; but nothing will ever come close to that day, several months ago.

The scariest day of my life.

I had gone over to the office to work, like any other day. What a blessing it is to live in the church parsonage, right next to the church! I was sitting at my desk in my office, working on who know what, when my phone rang. It was mid-morning at the time. I saw it was my wife, so I answered it. She usually called me around that time to see how I was doing, what I wanted for lunch, etc.. I greeted her like I normally do, with a simple, “Hey babe, what’s up?” Her response was anything but happy. I don’t remember her exact words, but she began in extremely frantic tones to tell me that our son Donald Jr. was choking on something, and she couldn’t get it out.

Immediately I jumped up, ran out the door, jumped in our van, sped across the parking lot into our driveway, right over the lawn up to our front porch! I ran inside and heard her voice talking to someone. I followed her voice to the bedroom and saw her, giving my son the heimlich maneuver (she is a certified CNA, so she knows her stuff), with the phone between her ear and her shoulder, talking to the 911 operator, all while Donald was screaming, choking, vomiting, and crying. What an amazing woman! She didn’t freak out, start crying, or give up. She was strong and was doing everything she could to help him. I stood there for a second, wondering what I could even do. What could I do? I could be the one to freak out, but I decided that wasn’t the best option. I realized she was having a difficult time talking to the 911 operator, so I took the phone and began talking to them. I could hear in my wife’s voice the worry, concern, fear, and annoyance. Worry, concern, and fear for her child’s life; and annoyance at the 911 operator for asking so many questions. They know there’s an emergency! Why can’t they just shut up and send someone! I took the phone and left the room so I could hear and began answering questions. It seemed like an eternity went by! Suddenly, from the other room, my wife yelled, “It’s out!!”

What a relief!

It ended up being a lifesaver he had found in my side drawer. Thank God it was a lifesaver and not something else! Lifesavers were made with a hole in the middle to prevent losing your air supply. I told the 911 operator that we got it out, and he seemed just as relieved as me. He then said something that I don’t think I’ll ever forget as long as I live:

Help has been on the way since you called.

What a thought! Amidst all my worry and stress, help was on the way! Even when I didn’t realize it, help was on the way! When it seemed like my only help in sight wasn’t really helping, help was on the way! From the moment my wife connected with the 911 operator, unbeknownst to us, help was on the way!

We were annoyed because emergency services seemed like all they cared about was us answering their questions, and all we wanted was for them to send someone over. While we had that attitude, help was already on the way!

Donald was fine. A little upset, but fine. We decided no more lifesavers for him anymore 😑. As I pondered the day’s events later that evening, the words of the 911 operator rang through my mind:

Help’s been on the way since you called.

I suddenly began thinking of God in my life. So often I’ve prayed for a specific request, and I wait. Then I pray again, and wait. I pray and pray and pray, and it seems like God isn’t listening.

Where is my answer?
God, don’t you care?
I need this answer now!

Psalms 40:17
But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

Guess what? My answer comes. Maybe not when I thought it should’ve, but when GodKNEW it should. It’s like he tells me,

Help’s been on the way since you called!

My God know just what I need, when I need it. Maybe you’re going through a difficult time right now. Maybe you’re reading this, and something has come to your mind:

• Financial difficulty
• A child away from God
• An unsaved loved one
• Job trouble
• A struggling ministry
• Health problems
• Divorced parents
• A guilty past
• Fear of the unknown
• A broken marriage

Maybe you’ve prayed and asked God for help, but feel as if God isn’t listening. Read this:

Matthew 6:25-33
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air:for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The 911 operator had a reason for all the questions he asked me. I didn’t understand it at the time. He wasn’t trying to annoy me, he was doing his job the right way. Help was already on the way! God has a reason for all that we go through in His will. We may not understand it, but we will one day. Remember, help’s been on the way since you called. God knows. Don’t worry! Let go and let God! When you’re done reading this, remind God how much you trust Him, and tell him that you know that He knows best!

When we talk to God and pray, help’s already on the way!