There’s something about knowing that somebody is working on your behalf. Whether that’s somebody that does a job for you, runs an errand for you, helps you with a project…whatever it is. There’s something that fills us with comfort when we realize we’re not alone in whatever it is we’re trying to accomplish.
Jonah’s Big Crisis
I was reading in the book of Jonah the other day as I make my way through the end of the Old Testament. There’s a small verse in chapter one that snags my attention every time I read it.
Jonah 1:17
Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah…
What I love about this verse is that it shows that God is always working on our behalf, even when we don’t realize it. Jonah gets himself into a mess and hits his big crisis moment. At this very moment in time, he was sinking to the bottom of the depths of the ocean. Talk about a crisis!
His Dire Circumstances
He later has these words to say about his experience.
I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
Jonah 2:5
These are some pretty dire conditions that Jonah finds himself in. His crisis comes on hard and fast. At this point, we’re not even sure if he’s had a chance to pray yet. He’s been thrown overboard into the choppy waves in the midst of a terrible storm and is currently sinking to the bottom of the ocean. How long do you have when you’re sinking to the bottom of the ocean? Not long, I’d say. We get the idea he’s already out of oxygen, waiting for his demise.
God Knows Our Future
If God had waited even a few moments longer, we wouldn’t have the story of Jonah. If God would have waited for Jonah to reach out to him, I don’t know that the fish would have gotten to him in time. Instead, God began working before Jonah started praying. From the way the verse is worded, we get the idea that God arranged for the fish to get Jonah long before Jonah ever needed the fish.
That’s the amazing thing about having God on our side. He sees the future and knows what we need before we do, before we’ve even had a chance to pray about it. He works on our behalf before we know the words to pray.
There’s incredible encouragement in that thought, in knowing God is working on your behalf today.
God’s Working on Your Future Today
God was already working. He knew what was in Jonah’s future and was already actively bringing about the pieces of his life to work out His plan in Jonah’s life.
God is doing the same for you and me today. He already knows what’s in our future. Nothing that happens in our lives takes him by surprise. He is already acting on behalf for you for your future, for things that haven’t even happened yet.
If you can trust him with your future, you can trust him with today. So be encouraged today and know that God is working on your behalf today both with what you can see and what you can’t!
More Encouragement
For more encouragement, check out my post, When You Can’t See God Working in Your Life.
If you’re looking for a devotional to encourage you and remind you that God’s not done working on you, check out God’s Plan, My Purpose. It’s currently on sale on Amazon for $5.70!