Jonah 1:1-17; 3:1-10; 4:1-11

November 8th, 2020

Hi Families!

Is there a certain chore that you have to do that you always put off to the very last minute because you really dislike it? What about others in your family--what things do they put off as long as possible? This week’s story is about Jonah and his journey to Nineveh. While we often think this story is just about Jonah getting swallowed by a fish, it is actually about God having mercy on the city of Nineveh. The reason Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh to tell them to stop being so bad was because he knew that if they listened to him and said they were sorry, God would have mercy on them, and he didn’t like that idea at all. This is a great week to talk not only about God’s call on each of our lives, but on the importance of mercy and the wideness of God’s love for all people, even the ones that we might not like.

LET’S READ THE STORY AND THINK ABOUT IT

• What do you think about the story for today? What jumped out at you either because it was nice or strange or confusing? (Let kids think about it on their own and spark conversations based on their thoughts first)
• How would you feel if you were Jonah and were given this job to do by God? How would you react? Would you want to deliver the message to Nineveh and have them repent? 
• How would you feel if you were one of the sailors on the boat during the storm and had to toss Jonah in? How would you react when the storm suddenly calmed down after Jonah was thrown in? 
• What does it say about God that God didn't give up on Jonah even when Jonah tried to run from his job and then was grumpy about it when he did do it?
• God is patient
• God is forgiving
• God doesn't give up on us (or on God's plans) very easily
• What does it say about God that God wanted to send someone to help Nineveh repent and then forgave them when they did?
• God is merciful and forgiving - even to people we wouldn't have expected​
• God doesn't have 'in' groups and 'out' groups like we do - everyone is a part of God's beloved family
• God wants our relationship with God to be good