I often keep my ears and eyes open to what God will say and pay attention to certain symbols or themes. In the past few months, whales keep appearing. They constantly show up in my dreams, visions, pictures, artwork and I’ve even seen them in the ocean several times while driving along Turnagain Arm in Alaska. 

Recently, at a restaurant in Seward, Alaska, I saw a beautiful painting of a whale on the wall and immediately the Lord said, “The heart of my heartbeat is in the whale.” The words came softly and quickly and over the next few days I asked the Lord to reveal what He meant. Of course, Jonah was the first person in the Bible that came to mind. As I dug deeper into scripture and read his story again, I had this revelation that the whale wasn’t just a prophetic mantle for Jonah, but is a living representation that during our times of doubt, unbelief, disobedience or fear, God covers us and will do whatever He can to get us back to His will and purpose.

Jonah threw himself into the sea, knowing that he was the cause of the storm. Jonah 1:17 says that God provided a huge fish, which we often think of as a whale. It gives me so much comfort knowing that our God, who is faithful to provide, will do that for us even in times of our disobedience. It was in the depths of the whale that Jonah had revelations. As Jonah calls out to the Lord in prayer, the Lord comes close. We see so many of God’s attributes in Jonah’s prayer. He answers us in our distress. He listens, rescues and commands. Jonah 2:3 confirmed what God had said to me about the heart, “You hurled me into the depths into the very heart of the seas.” 

The heart of God’s heartbeat is in the whale. It is in the deepest part of the sea that we find Jesus who brings great hope and healing. Our messy storms do not dictate our outcome. Jesus is the heart and soul of the earth! He is the reason for our earth’s existence. In the whale, Jonah experienced a deep stillness within, as God protected him, taught him and loved him. This gave Jonah time to turn his unbelief into belief and his disobedience into obedience.   

The whale is a prophetic mantle for all of us. God gets our attention in the most odd places. If we don’t listen the first time, He kindly comes back a second time and a third time. He just doesn’t stop for His people.  

One of my favorite poets and writers, Hosanna Wong, says, “There are no waters that are too deep for me.” 

So, how does He get your attention? What is your belly of the whale moment? 

How deep are you willing to go to feel the heartbeat of the Lord?