Art in the Garden

I love to create art for my garden. A can of spray paint works miracles for me.  I sprayed these two for an auction for Gideons International. It's a fundraiser to buy Bibles for the world.

THUNDER - A Man on the Run, by Juanita Turner Paslay

Jonah

He perceives himself a prophet to his Jewish people.

God designs different plans for him.

 Learn the price Jonah pays 

when his prejudices rule his decisions.

~ Chapter 6 ~

  I expected the storm to calm down when they threw me overboard. I am certain my plan will work. Now I will take my time as I swim to shore and board another ship headed south.

An hour into his swim/float routine, Jonah had a definite reason to panic.

I see a gray fantail rising high above the horizon. It is enormous!

With his eyes focused on the frightful sea monster, Jonah continued to watch as the tail fell gracefully under the waves of the blue expanse of the sea. The giant fish continued its approach.

I better swim in a different direction and stay out of its path!

A frightful sea monster with a wide jaw full of jagged teeth headed straight for Jonah. His effort to swim faster than the monster proved useless, even though he held the champion record at school.

I cannot swim any faster. I think the monster will catch me!

The unthinkable happened. The creature overtook Jonah and swallowed him.

“O God! You chased me and caught me. I deserted You, but You found me. Now I am locked in your dark dungeon!”

Its huge stomach cavity allowed him to breathe, although a horrible stench made the effort difficult.

I never smelled anything so rotten. I know I shall either suffocate or drown any moment.

The young man found it difficult to identify what floated around his chest and his legs in the cold darkness.

This mess feels like seaweed but moves like a thousand tiny fish on a mission. Are they going to suck my blood?

He spoke his thoughts. “How long can I take in air? Maybe I am already dead. This must be my judgment day. Is it too late to pray? Maybe I am already in the darkness of Sheol.”

I am so thirsty. When I swallow this horrific water, I need more water, so maybe I am not dead yet.

Sometimes the rhythm of his ride changed. From time to time waves of water rushed in, then receded.

It feels like the monster swims upward, then takes a deep dive. I am getting dizzy!

 Jonah had trouble keeping his head above water in the small cavern, but his air supply did not fluctuate.

I must keep the water from sloshing up my nose.

Time passed, but in his present position, Jonah was unable to discern the duration.

I possess no power to change my circumstances.

Eventually, he became brave enough to talk to God.

 “O God of Israel, can You hear me? I think I am still alive.” Jonah hesitated, then because his circumstances demanded honesty, he said, “God, I am so scared!”

      He inhaled a deep breath before he continued. 

“Even in this black well, I cannot hide from You, O God. Darkness and light are both alike to You. You saw me before I was born and You see me now in this frightening water-logged tomb.”

The young prophet memorized the law years ago, so he quoted the lines to himself and his audience of one—his captor. He concentrated on every word to help take his mind off the raw seaweed stew in which he floated.

"I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before Me.”

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image.”

It is so hard to concentrate!

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”

"Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”

He paused to take a deep breath. I must continue talking or I shall lose my sanity.

"Honor your father and your mother.”

I love to quote the law. Lord, I really do love Your laws.

"You shall not commit adultery, covet, lie, murder or steal.”

Jonah continued to recite the sacred law and soon sensed Jehovah’s holy presence.

Not brave enough to eat whatever accumulated in the fish’s stomach, his communion with God became bread for both his body and his soul.

If I am not dead, death must be close.

He cried out and pleaded with God. “O Lord, I am more wicked than the heathen that You wanted me to warn of judgment. I am without excuse. Can I be forgiven?”

      The prejudice prophet repented and acknowledged the shame brought on himself by his act of rebellion. His guilty feelings eventually changed to a spirit of praise. Loud and full of emotion to God, he sang the song of Moses that he memorized as a child, though he suffered with a raw throat and hoarse voice.

"The Lord is my strength and my song,

My God has become my salvation,

I shall praise Him with many songs.”

He recited parts of the law and sang many of King David’s songs. His weak voice echoed in the dark water-filled cavern.

      Using his scratchy voice, Jonah sang Miriam’s song with sincere affection for his God.

“Who is like You, glorious in holiness,

Fearful in praises, doing mighty wonders?”

His repenting heart generated quietness. Quietness became trust. Confidence in his God gave him strength to endure God’s unknown agenda.

Again, thoughts flooded Jonah’s mind. I accept this watery grave. But I also perceive God might not withdraw my assignment or my calling as His prophet.

“God, my heart is heavy and my eyes burn like fire. Though I am in the blackness of this monster’s belly, You dwell both in the depths of the sea and on the highest mountaintop. All creation belongs to You which includes both me and this gigantic fish.”

His song became his sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise. 

If only I had obeyed!

“O Lord, I am Your servant!

I want to fulfill my vow!”

O Lord, I am Your servant!

      “Lord, I cry out to You from the depths of this sea. I know You hear me. I ran from your presence, but I know I will look once again toward Your holy temple.”

      Jonah’s obedience to God’s call would take him on a long journey. 

~ Chapter  7 ~

Jonah’s prison began to move much too fast and the churning water inside the fish’s belly tossed him from side to side, then forward and backward. He coughed and choked as sea water went up his nose and down his raw throat. The young prophet sensed a heavy feeling of anticipation.

Now what is this fish doing? Jonah held his breath as he waited.

The runaway prophet did not really expect his nightmare to end. Jonah learned a first-class lesson of obedience plus experienced the ride of his life.

He and the giant fish landed on the eastern shore of the Great Sea. With its last breath, the fish beached itself with mouth wide open and ejected the prophet onto the sandy beach.

Jonah, with his heart pounding, laid on the beach gasping from shock. The young man breathed in and out with shallow quick breaths. His lungs filled with clean fresh air. The exhilarating scent intoxicated him to the extent he did not trust himself to rise to his feet.

Eventually, Jonah stood on his wobbly legs. “Jehovah, what just happened?”

Then he collapsed to his knees, face in the sand. He whispered, “Does this mean You forgive me?”

 The prophet remained on his knees for a long time. His mind whirled with a hundred questions and ideas.

Jehovah, I do not have any words to say!

Later, an old familiar song formed in his raw throat.

“I praise You with all my heart.

I shall tell people all the

marvelous things You have done.

I praise Your name, O Most High!”

Though his voice sounded weak from lack of fresh water, he again rejoiced singing songs written by King David.

I still have my memory. The sea did not rob me of that. He clapped his hands with joy and appreciation to God.

 When Jonah’s voice no longer could sing, he stood with caution again and examined himself. His skin, bleached from acid in the fish’s stomach, hung wrinkled and waterlogged.

He chuckled to himself. I must look a hundred years old.

After that life-threatening experience, Jonah still wore his prophet’s robe. The cherished coat, no longer clean, but faded and out of shape, hung from his shoulders covered with green stain and smelled sour beyond description. He found a fresh-water stream nearby where he washed seaweed and other unknown debris from his body and his clothes.

After a thorough scrubbing, the weary man sat on a boulder on the beach to rest and meditate about his precarious situation. Drained of all emotion and not knowing where he landed, Jonah experienced extreme hunger pangs. He watched the snowy white seagulls fly overhead and dive into the sea to scoop up small fish to eat.

 One large seagull flew at him several times, then dropped a fish on Jonah’s head. The attentive seagull returned three separate times. Though not delivered by a raven as Elijah experienced, Jonah accepted this meal of fresh fish as from God. Later, that same friendly seagull bombarded him with fresh bread from an unknown source.

God is feeding me just as He did Elijah. Me and Elijah. Elijah and me—prophets of God!

Overwhelmed with emotion, the young man could manage neither to sing nor speak. He dropped to his knees once again and remained there until he recognized God’s thundering voice.

"Jonah, rise and go to Nineveh, and deliver that message I gave you."

God must be giving me a second chance.

Without delay, the young prophet stood tall, shoulders pushed back, and shouted to the heavens.

“I . . . "

 THUNDER is available on Amazon.com