Attitude in Prayer – from Lynn Yates
Jonah 2
If you were trapped in the belly of a fish like Johan how would you pray? The ultimate Mediterranean Uber to nowhere.
Attitude Choices – As a prophet he should have had access to many wonderful prayers and attitudes of David, Moses, etc.
- Pious – righteous well-crafted prayer? Focus on self, how much more deserving you are than the evil Ninevites.
- Righteous? I am a prophet and have served you my whole life. Look at all the pagans! I am much more deserving the they are.
- Blame God prayer? God you made a big mistake here, I was trying to keep you from making a big mistake.
- Plea for mercy and deliverance? Emotional – God! Father! Abba! I need your help Focus on circumstance and need for rescue.
- Praise for God’s glory and greatness? Focus on God’s greatness and majesty. God you are glorious and great and forgiving and are to be praised. You know everything and I do not. I rest of your wisdom and mercy.
- Prayer of repentance? Focus on unworthiness. God I really messed up – again – I beg you to forgive me for I have sinned and trusted on my own strength – again – I don’t deserve another change but ask for your mercy.
2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish,
2 saying, I called out to the LORD, out of my distress,
and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
3 For you cast me into the deep, BLAME
into the heart of the seas,
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and your billows
passed over me. I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING
4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away
from your sight;
yet I shall again look
upon your holy temple.’ RELIGIOUS
5 The waters closed in over me fto take my life;
the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head COMPLAINT – YUCK!!
6 at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land
whose bars closed upon me forever;
yet you brought up my life from the pit,
O LORD my God.
7 When my life was fainting away,
I remembered the LORD,
and my prayer came to you, FINALLY
into your holy temple. RELIGIOUS
8 Those who pay regard to vain idols
forsake their hope of steadfast love. THEY ARE BAD UNLIKE ME
9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving
will sacrifice to you; SELF RIGHTEOUS
what I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation belongs to the LORD!”
• The prayer attitude is greatly lacking in humility, repentant spirit or willingness to change.
• He justifies his actions to run away from the PAGANS.
• He gives religious lip service to GOD.
• Acknowledged his deliverance without gratitude – almost (probably) blaming God for saving him.
How to Pray Modeled by Jesus
Lords prayer – sequence tells a lot
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.[a]
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,[b]
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,[c]
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.[d]
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
By David in Psalm 51 – repentant
Have mercy on me,[a] O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Psalm 73 – A Psalm of Asaph
Truly God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For they have no pangs until death;
their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
violence covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out through fatness;
their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice;
loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens,
21 When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was brutish and ignorant;
I was like a beast toward you.
23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength[b] of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.
What is Our Attitude When We Pray?
When we compare Jonah’s prayer to godly men and women in Scripture it becomes apparent what is lacking and revealing of his true heart.
I have never been trapped in a fish under sea – wait – I have. But we have all had times of fervent prayer, crisis or difficulty. How did we pray?
• Are we trusting God?
• Are we asking for deliverance in His will?
• Are we suffering because of sin or rebellion? Are we repentant?
• Are we blaming God?
• Are we Praising God?
Check your heart are you making a Jonah Prayer?
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