Jonah-Flying Out of the Fish's Mouth

Mary Vee
Jonah 2

From the Jonah's Journal

Photo Courtesy

I woke. Still in the great fish. Nothing had changed. I didn't want to be here any longer and needed God's help to get me out. From my calculations I've been here for three days.

I raised my hands and prayed to God:

“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble,
    and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,
    and Lord, you heard me!
 You threw me into the ocean depths,
    and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
    I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
 Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence.
    Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’

 “I sank beneath the waves,
    and the waters closed over me.
    Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
 I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
    I was imprisoned in the earth,
    whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
    snatched me from the jaws of death!
 As my life was slipping away,
    I remembered the Lord.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
    in your holy Temple.
 Those who worship false gods
    turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
 But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
    and I will fulfill all my vows.
    For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”

The fish shook. 

Whatever I sat on moved, first back then forward, then back and like a bird I flew out of the fish's mouth into the air. I flung my arms trying to balance myself before crashing. I landed on the soft sands of the beach. Warm. Bright.

The sun tickled my eyes to open. I took a deep breath and smelled fresh air. God had rescued me.

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1. What did Jonah finally decide to do?
2. Who was the only one who could help him?
3. Tell some things Jonah said in his prayer?
4. What do you think it felt like to be spat out of the fish?

Jonah-I Can't Swim!

By Mary Vee
Jonah 1,2

From the Very Drenched Journal Notes of Jonah

Photo Courtesy

The captain pleaded with me to answer his question, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?'

This was all my fault. Had I listened to God in the first place, the ship and the crew would not have had this trouble. I'm not suppose to be on the ship. The only answer would be for me to leave the ship. I sighed.  "You need to pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then it will become calm. I know it's my fault that this great storm has come upon you."

The captain shook his head. "We can't throw you off! You're a paying passenger."  He turned to his crew. "Man the oars and row toward land."

The crew scrambled to their positions and pulled the oars with all their strength. The captain called a beat to keep them rowing but the wind fought them. The harder they rowed the farther from land the sea pushed them. They worked the oars past the midday hour. 

I couldn't believe that the waves could grow taller and lift the boat, but they did. If the captain didn't throw me overboard soon the entire crew and ship would perish. He wouldn't listen to my pleas, though.

Finally, the captain looked up at the skies and saw no relief from the storm. The crew cried out, "Lord please don't let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man. For you. O Lord, have done as you pleased."

The captain and crew said they were sorry. Their eyes saddened and their eyebrows lowered. Two of the crew picked me up and tossed me as far as they could away from the boat, preventing me from bouncing against the hull. 

The instant I hit the water the waves calmed and I sank deeper into the dark waters. 

I didn't know how to swim. My clothing weighed me down, deeper into the water. I didn't know how long I would be able to hold my breath. I'd never been under water before. I opened my eyes and watched the fish swim around me. 

But soon the air left my lungs and I knew I would drown. 

My head pounded and my chest hurt. I pushed with my arms but didn't go very far. Suddenly a large fish, bigger than the waves that hit the ship, swam toward me. This was my end. Would it hurt to be eaten by a fish?

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1. What did the captain want to know?
2. When Jonah answered him, did the captain do as Jonah said?
3. What did the captain order his crew to do?
4. After a while the captain gave up. The crew said what to God?
5. What did the crew do to Jonah?
6. Why didn't they want to do this?
7. What happened when Jonah hit the water?
8. Why did Jonah sink?
9. What did Jonah see at the end?