December 18

Day 18 | Jonah

Scripture: Jonah 1-4

Jonah was one of God’s special messengers, called a prophet. God asked Jonah to do a special and important job. Unfortunately, Jonah didn’t want to do the job God asked him to do, and so he ran away.

Of course, God always knew where Jonah went; no one can run away from God. God was with Jonah on the storm-tossed ship, and God was with Jonah in the belly of the fish. God was with Jonah when he finally went to Nineveh to do the job God had asked Jonah to do.

We can’t run away from God. God wants us to obey Him, but even when we don’t, God is still with us. God loves us at all times and in all places.

Talk About:
• Have you ever tried to hide from God?
• What have you learned about God from reading the book of Jonah?

Prayer: Loving God, thank You for watching over us in all things and for loving us when we try to run away from Your love.

Additional Scripture: Matthew 12:38-41

Age-Focused Discussion

Preschool
• Who was the prophet we talked about today?
• What job did God give Jonah to do? What did he do instead?
• What happened when Jonah was thrown off the ship?
• How long was Jonah in the belly of the giant fish?

Elementary
• How do you think Jonah felt when he realized he couldn’t hide from God?
• Why do you think God didn’t just choose a different prophet when Jonah ran away?
• What do you think Jonah learned while he was inside the fish? What are some ways we can obey God right away, instead of running away like Jonah? 

Middle and High School
• Have you ever tried to avoid doing something you knew you should do? • What does this story teach us about God’s patience and forgiveness?
• How does God show us love and forgiveness when we make wrong choices? 

Gospel Conversation
We can learn from Jonah that God’s love will find us no matter what we’ve done or where we’ve been. Jonah failed, but God forgave him and used him anyway. Even when we don’t deserve His love, it’s still there. He doesn’t give up on us. He calls us to Him, forgives us, and gives us new purpose through our belief in Jesus.