Thought Jonah, "I don't like them.
I won't warn them. I won't go.
I'd rather disobey
and hide then help people I don't know!"
So jonah tried to run from God.
He paid to take a ride on board
a great big sailing ship with space where he could hide.
But Jonah couldn't hide from God.
For God is everywhere.
When Jonah hid beneath the deck,
God found him hiding there.

God sent a wind that caused a storm
that rocked the ship at sea.
And all the sailors on the ship
were frightened as can be.
Back and forth the ship rocked.
It almost broke in two.
The captain went to Jonah
and asked him what to do.
Jonah said, "I ran away
and disobeyed the Lord.
It's me He wants to punish,
so throw me overboard."

The sailors didn't want to do
as jonah said they should.
The storm kept growing worse and worse
as jonah knew it would.
To calm the storm,
the sailors had to follow Jonah's wish.
They threw him in the sea...
and then God sent a great big fish,
a whale.
The great whale swallowed Jonah
as he sank into the sea.
"Oh me," thought jonah,
"What will become of me?"

Inside the whale's belly
all alone and scared he stayed.
For three long days and nights
Jonah prayed and prayed.
Jonah asked God to forgive
him for running far away.
For jonah knew that it was wrong
to ever disobey God.
He thanked God for His mercy.
He thanked God for His care.
And from the bottom of the sea,
God heard his every word.
God had the whale to blow
Jonah out safe upon the shore.
God told Jonah he should go
to Ninevah once more.
This time Jonah minded God.

To ninevah he went.
He warned, "You all have forty days
in which to repent!"
The people there all listened.
They repented, every one.
God forgave and spared them
when He saw what they had done.
But Jonah wasn't pleased at all,
for he had no pity
and wasn't happy
that he helped the people save their city.

Jonah sat down in the sun
and next to him, God made
a lovely plant that grew and grew
and offered Jonah shade.
The next day God destroyed the plant
that Jonah learned to love.
Jonah questioned why God did
this and God answered from above:
"You felt pity for the plant
that lived for one short day.
Isn't ninevah far greater
than a plant in every way?"
"That city's filled with people
who were wicked and were bad.
They were sorry and repented
and that made me very glad."

Then Jonah finally understood,
for in his heart he knew
that God is merciful and wise
and all forgiving too.

Author Unknown



HOME