Then Jonah prayed to God from the belly of the fish, saying, ‘I called to God out of my distress, and God answered me.’ + Jonah 2:1-2
Meditation
Full of twists and turns, the story of Jonah is about at least two things: 1) God’s pervasive and persistent love, and 2) stepping up to the challenges that change can bring. Jonah tries to avoid God’s call at first, while the people of Nineveh embrace it, changing their lives for the better. The story ends with the idea that the God of love is at work in and through all the twists and turns in our lives, sometimes hidden, sometimes plain - and that God’s mercy knows no bounds!
Summer Fun This Week
If you live in or near a city with an aquarium, go for a visit; if not, watch a nature documentary on whales, or on “every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm.” + Genesis 1:21
Do some Sea-Search: Learn five mind-boggling facts about whales, and then make a drawing or diagram displaying your new knowledge for all to see
Go swimming in a pool, ocean, or pond - and play sharks and minnows!
Visit a pet store and check out the fish section. Can you see why God proclaimed these colorful creatures good?
Try memorizing “What Jonah Learned” - and see if you can sing it all the way through!
Dinner conversation starters:
How and where do you most experience God? How and where do you most experience love?
The story of Jonah is about changing for the better. How does the world need to change? What changes do you need to make for a better world, a better you?