Have you ever tried to run away? Maybe you didn’t want to clean your room or do something hard. That’s what Jonah did!
One day, God told Jonah, “Go to the city of Nineveh. The people there are doing bad things, and I want you to tell them to stop.”
But Jonah didn’t want to go. He ran the other way! He got on a ship heading far, far away from Nineveh.
Did God lose track of Jonah?
No way! God knew exactly where Jonah was.
So God sent a big storm. The wind howled. The waves crashed. The sailors were scared! They prayed to their gods, but nothing helped.
Meanwhile, Jonah was fast asleep!
The sailors woke him up.
“Pray to your God!” they cried. “Maybe He can save us!”
They wanted to know who had made God angry, so they drew lots—like picking straws or tossing sticks. The lot pointed to Jonah.
“Tell us!” the sailors begged. “What should we do?”
Jonah said, “Throw me into the sea. Then the storm will stop.”
The sailors didn’t want to do it. But the storm kept getting worse. Finally, they picked Jonah up and tossed him overboard.
Right away, the storm stopped!
Then something amazing happened.
God sent a huge fish to swallow Jonah whole! Jonah was inside that fish for three whole days and nights.
Even though Jonah disobeyed, God still took care of him. God didn’t leave Jonah—not in the storm, not in the sea, not even in the belly of a fish!
Remember:
Even when we mess up, God is with us. He loves us, helps us, and gives us another chance.
Jennifer Penrose is an author of children’s books. She currently has one book published called I Am God Breathed. She has always had a passion for showing children the love of God and helping them grow in the word. She has worked with toddlers and infants of all abilities and has two, now grown, sons of her own. She wants to write books that are helpful to kids and parents alike to help foster the love of reading and a relationship with Christ.