It was a tiny island,
Had just a tree or two.
That I was stranded there,
I was sure nobody knew.

The ship had sunk so fast,
The raft a God-sent gift.
And God had made the choice
For which way I would drift.

No water on the island,
The raft would catch a little.
If I left it out at night,
Dew puddled in the middle.

I gathered up some driftwood
And made myself a shelter.
My cistern raft, a roof,
For protection from the swelter.

A vine grew up beside it
And added to my shade.
For a simple cooking fire,
This world’s riches I would trade.

Raw seafood is a meal
Of which you quickly tire.
Each night I prayed to God
That he would send me fire.

And then my lovely vine
Just shriveled up and died.
Self-pity overwhelmed me.
I sat right down and cried.

Right then I felt like Jonah
When God destroyed his vine.
For I was quick to question
Why God had not saved mine.

That night the dead dry leaves
Caught fire while I slept.
My raft, my shelter, all burned up.
I cursed God as I wept.

Was this some godly joke,
His answer to my prayer?
My fate was sealed for certain.
God didn’t seem to care.

God’s plan for me was obvious,
Now, I was going to die.
I couldn’t understand it.
To me, God was a lie.

The boat came at first light,
My God was not a liar.
I asked how they had found me…
They had seen my signal fire!

Everyone knows the story of Jonah and the whale but the story of Jonah and the gourd is not that well known. Both stories attempt to teach the same lesson to Jonah. You would think that getting swallowed by a whale would be lesson enough, but not for old Jonah. Think back and be honest, how many times have you had to be hit on the head before it did more than make bumps?

Jonah 4:6-7