Jonah

Jonah 1:1–3

Our true story comes from a part of the Bible called the Book of Jonah. Jonah loved God and wanted others to know God, too.

We begin with a man named Jonah. One day, God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh to tell the people who lived there to do what God says and love one another.


But there was a problem. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh. So, what do you think Jonah did? Jonah went the other way and got on a boat! Uh-oh! Do you think God was with Jonah even when he went the other way? Yes! God loved Jonah and was always with him.


While Jonah was on the boat, there was a big storm. There was rain, and wind, and thunder. The other people on the boat were afraid, but Jonah was sleeping! “Wake up, Jonah!”


When Jonah woke up, he saw the storm. He knew that if he got off the boat, the storm would stop. So, Jonah told the people on the boat to put him in the water.


So that’s what they did, and the storm stopped. Do you think God was with Jonah in the water? Yes! God loved Jonah and was always with him.


While Jonah was in the water, God sent a big fish. God sent the fish to swallow Jonah and keep him safe. Jonah was in the fish for three days and three nights. Can you count to three with me? “One . . . two . . . three!” Do you think God was with Jonah inside the belly of the big fish? Yes! God loved Jonah and was always with him.


While Jonah was inside the fish, he prayed to God, and then, guess what happened? 


God made the fish spit Jonah out onto dry land. Wow!


Once again, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. This time, Jonah did what God said, and he went to Nineveh. Do you think God was with Jonah when he went to Nineveh? Yes! God loved Jonah and was always with him—in the boat, in the fish, and when he went to Nineveh.


God loves you, and God is always with you too! So, tell me, is God with you at home? Yes! 


Is God with you at the playground? Yes!


Is God with you at the store? Yes!


That’s right, wherever you go, God is always with you. So, when anyone asks you: “Who is always with you?” You can say, “God is always with me!”






Bible Verse: “God is with you wherever you go.” —Joshua 1:9, NLT

Text Truth: God is with me wherever I go.



Family Devotional

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
—Jonah 3:2

In our Bible Story, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but he didn’t go—he got on a boat and went the other way! A big storm came, and Jonah told the people on the boat to help him into the water so the storm would stop. When he was in the water, there was a fish, but it wasn’t a little fish, it was a BIG fish! What did the big fish do? God sent the big fish to swallow Jonah and keep him safe. What did Jonah do inside the big fish? Jonah prayed to God and said he would do what God told him to.

God was with Jonah everywhere he went because God is always with us. So, when anyone asks you: “Who is always with you?” You can say, “God is always with me!”

God is with you wherever you go. —Joshua 1:9, NLT

With your family, take a piece of paper and make a list of places you have been. It can be anywhere! Have each member of your family write down a place they have been. And make sure their write down their name next to the place they write.

Pray with your family. Allow any family members to pray if they wish. In your own words, say, “Dear God, You have the power to do anything. That’s why You are with us wherever we go! You are with us when we go to (read the list your family made). Thank You, God, for loving us and always being with us. You’re the best! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

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Some story illustrations are the copyright of Sweet Publishing and licensed by FreeBibleimages (http://freebibleimages.org) for free download under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 3.0 unported licence.

Some story illustrations are in the Public Domain.

All story illustrations are the property of their respective owners.
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