Squishy, Smelly, & Desperate

Pastor: Jeff Love

When Mercy Finds You in the Deep

This is week three of our six-part series, Jonah and the Mercy of God, and it takes us straight into the belly of the fish—the most well-known (and most debated) part of Jonah’s story.

To some, it’s a wild story that sounds impossible. To others, it's symbolic at best. But Jesus didn’t treat Jonah’s experience as fiction—He referenced it in Matthew 12:40 as a foreshadowing of His own resurrection. That means there’s something powerful and deeply real here we shouldn’t overlook.

Jonah had run from God, been thrown overboard, and thought his story was over. But God wasn’t done. In the deep, dark, smelly, uncomfortable place of isolation, God's mercy showed up—in the form of a great fish.

This week, we’re exploring:

• What happens when we hit rock bottom.

• Why we often wait too long to pray—and how Jonah's prayer reveals God's patience.

• What God's mercy actually looks like—and why it may not always be what we expect.

• How God uses time, discomfort, and unexpected moments to shape our hearts.

Jonah’s prayer in chapter 2 reminds us that God hears us even in our lowest moments, that He responds with mercy, and that our worst seasons may actually be preparing us for something greater. The fish wasn’t punishment—it was preparation.

Don’t miss next week, because sometimes, the most unlikely places are where God does His most transformative work.

Your story isn't over. God’s not finished. Mercy is closer than you think.