Salvation belongs to the Lord! — Jonah 2:9
After all his running from God, after all the consequences of his sin, after all the chaos of coming to the end of himself, Jonah finally cries out for mercy and grace. Like the prodigal son in Luke 15, in the shame of the muck and mire “He came to himself.” In this beautiful psalm written from the belly of a great fish, Jonah describes the distress that brought him back to God. This is his moment of repentance. And it is a moment where God’s grace shines through.
The very last line of Jonah’s psalm proclaims, “Salvation belongs to the Lord!” Jonah brought nothing but his sin and rebellion into this equation. All the saving grace and mercy belong to the Lord. He is the one who ran after Jonah. He is the one who pursued Jonah to the depths. He is the one who sent the great fish. He is the one who saves and delivers. From beginning to end, salvation belongs to the Lord, and to Him alone.
So it is with our salvation. When we were dead in our trespasses and sins, God made us alive in Jesus Christ. All we contribute to our salvation is the sin and shame that must be atoned. All the saving grace and mercy belong to the Lord. He is the one who came after us. He is the one so sent His one and only Son. Jesus is the one who saves and delivers. The Spirit sanctifies us. The Father will glorify us. From beginning to end, salvation belongs to the Lord, and to Him alone.
Let us praise our God together today, for He alone is worthy of all honor and glory and majesty and power. Salvation belongs to the Lord!
Which is why we are loved, more than we know.
