Sons Of The Desert
When the cat’s away, the mice will play. Pastor Dan and I have a very remarkably similar sense of humor. I would say we are like two peas in a pot. So as we all think Pastor Dan is at the LCMS National Convention, it would not surprise me if he was on a cruise to Hawaii. This is a juxtaposition of the plot of the Laurel and Hardy film “Sons of the Desert.” This also brings to mind the plot of Jonah. Jonah was supposed to go to Nineveh, but jumped on a cruise ship in the other direction! We all know what happened to Jonah…
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish. He said the following:
In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From the belly of the grave I cried out,
and you heard my voice.
You threw me into the depths,
into the heart of the seas.
The currents swept around me.
All your breakers and your waves swept over me.
I said, “I have been driven away from your sight.
Nevertheless, I will once again look toward your holy temple.”
Waters engulfed me so that I was near death.
The deep surrounded me.
Seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down.
The earth locked me behind its bars forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord, my God.
When my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord.
My prayer came to you, to your holy temple.
Those who cling to worthless idols forsake the mercy that is theirs.
But I, with a shout of thanksgiving, will indeed sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed, I will certainly pay in full.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jonah%202&version=EHV>
This is another fine mess you’ve gotten me into, I really can’t find a proper ending without coming off like a rat, instead of the playful mouse… Pastor Dan is doing his duty, so he’s not the Jonah in the fish. We do our duty, often while daydreaming the perfect escape route. Jonah did eventually preach to Nineveh. So I will end this devotion like the book of Jonah with God expressing his concern with people not knowing their right hand from their left hand. And also many animals.
Trust the Promises,
Steve Skiver