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A Fishy Tale by Steven Wilson

The big fish took Jonah to dry land

Text Version | Afrikaans | Italian


Morah sat on the beach throwing pebbles into the sea. She was angry! Her parents were always telling her what to do and she was fed up with it. Determined never to obey them again, she flung her last pebble into the water and turned to leave.

Morah sat on the beach throwing pebbles into the sea No sooner had her pebble splashed down into the sea than the waters began to froth and foam. Huge waves rose and crashed onto the sand.

“Crumbs!” she shrieked spinning round. “I didn't throw it that hard!” But it hadn't been her pebble that had caused the water to react so violently. It had been the forty-foot fish that was at that very moment beached right in front of her.

Morah froze. She didn't like fish at the best of time and certainly not huge big ones that kept winking at her. She was wondering what she should do, when suddenly the huge fish began to retch. It was about to be sick and Morah was standing in the firing line. She dived for a nearby bush just in time as the fish gave one last heave and was sick all over the sand.

There in amongst the debris was a man What a mess! There were seaweed and timbers, and old rags, and...and...and.... Morah rubbed her eyes. She could hardly believe what she saw. There in amongst all the debris was a...man! He was alive. He was covered in goo and bleached as white as a lamb. But he was alive!

The man staggered to his feet and the huge fish thrashed back into the sea.

The man was small with a tangled beard that was more seaweed than hair. His skin was wrinkled like a prune and he smelled horrible. “What a pong!” thought Morah, as she cupped her hand over her nose and sank lower behind the hedge. “How on earth did he end up inside a fish?”

She watched him pull a piece of driftwood from between his toes, clear the mucus from his eyes and ears, and struggle up the beach until he was gone.

She heaved a sigh of relief and climbed out from behind her bush to set off for home.

Although her thoughts were taken up by the strange events on the beach, she was still determined to tell her parents that she had decided not to do what they ask ever again.

The same man that told us to throw him in the sea “I've just seen him!” she heard her father's voice tell as she neared the house. “The same man that told us to throw him in the sea because he had angered his God. He said it would stop the storm. And it did!”

“Wow!” said Morah's mother as Morah entered the house. “He must have a mighty powerful God to stop the storm like that. Why didn't he drown?”

“Well apparently,” Morah's father continued, “he's been in the belly of a fish for three days and nights. Now that is a mighty God he follows, if you ask me.”

Morah froze once more at the mention of the big fish. So that's how the strange man had ended up inside the fish. He'd angered his God.

“How did he anger his God?” asked Morah, somewhat surprising her parents who hadn't noticed her come in.

Girl Cleaning “Well,” said her father, crouching down to give his daughter a big hug, “apparently he refused to do what God had asked him to do!”

“Really!” gasped Morah, remembering the sight of the bedraggled old man who had just spent three days inside the belly of a fish. “Oh, dear!” And without another thought, Morah turned to her mother and said, “Is there anything you would like me to do? You only have to ask, you know. I'll be only too willing.”

And with that, Morah grabbed a broom and frantically began cleaning the house.


* * *

THINK!

1. Do you think Morah was right, not wanting to help her parents?
2. Why is it important to help other people?
3. What sorts of things can you do that would help God?


REMEMBER
Sometimes the simplest actions can bring the greatest rewards!


A VERSE TO LEARN
“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of
these little ones a cup of cold water only in the
name of a disciple, verily I say unto you,
he shall in no wise lose his reward” (Matthew
10:42).


PRACTICAL APPLICATION

What things do your parents ask you to do that you don't really want to do or
feel like doing? Do you think your disobedience makes them happy or sad?

Can you think of things that God wants us to do that we do not really want to
do? How do you think God feels when we are disobedient to Him and his Word?

[After discussion:] Sometimes we just can't get it right, can we? But we have
a promise from God in his Word saying that He will make us able and willing
to do his will if we trust and rely on Him to help us. Philippians 2:13
says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of
his good pleasure.” That means God is at work within you, helping you
want to obey him and then helping you do what He wants.

Let's stop now and ask God to forgive us for our disobedience to Him and our
parents and ask Him to give us strength to be obedient to all He wants us to do.


LET'S PRAY

Dog and boy praying

****************************************************
Dear Lord, please help me to know that every time
I do something for another person,
I am also doing it for You.
Please help me to show your love
to my friends and family
in the things I do for them.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
****************************************************


CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE?
Jonah (in the Old Testament), chapters 1, 2, 3 & 4



crayons

God Sent a Big Fish coloring page (online)
Jonah Lands on Dry Ground coloring page (online)
Colour the Bible Book 3: Hosea - Malachi
Jonah and the Whale coloring page (online)
My Bible Stories Coloring Book 2
Old Testament Hidden Picture Puzzles Coloring Book (reproducible)
The Story of Jonah (online)

Action Bible Coloring Book
Coloring Through the Bible (online)
Beginner's Bible Super-Duper Mighty Jumbo Coloring Book
Bible Stories Kids Love Coloring Book (ages 2 to 4)
Big Book of Bible Story Coloring Pages for Elementary Kids
God Cares for Me Coloring Book by Shirley Dobson

God Loves You Coloring Book:
A Read-aloud Coloring Book About God's Plan for Salvation


Jesus Loves Me, This I Know, Coloring Book
My Bible Coloring Book
My Favorite Bible Stories Coloring Book (reproducible)
My Gospel Story by Colors--Activity Book
The Awesome Coloring Book of Bible Comics
The Super-Sized Book of Bible Coloring & Art
The Super-Sized Book of Bible Verse Coloring Pages
Children's Bible Coloring Books



activities

Cut and Scramble Bible Verse Page 1 (online)
Cut and Scramble Bible Verse Page 2 (online)
Jigsaw Puzzle (online)
Jonah - Online Activity (online)
Jonah Word Search (online)
Jonah Crossword Puzzle (online)
Jonah and the Big Fish Tales of Glory Play Set
Jonah and the Great Fish (online)
Jonah & the Big Fish Puzzle, 24 Pieces
Jonah, Go Fish! Game

Best Book of Bible Activities
Bible Puzzles: Word Search
Big Book Of Bible Puzzles
Big Book Of Bible Story Activity Pages V1
Bingo (online)
Children's Activity Books
Children's Puzzles
Christian and educational toys
Crossword Books
Encyclopedia Of Bible Games For Children's Ministry
Games
Jumbo Bible Activity Book 4
Memory Verse Games for Kids
Sticker Books
The Super Sized Book of Bible Puzzles Sticker Books



Online Fish Matching Game (online)
Print Out Fish Matching Game (online)



crafts

Jonah and the Big Fish Paper Craft (online)
Jonah and the Whale Craft (online)
Jonah and the Whale Crafts (online)
Jonah Bible Crafts (online)
Stuffed Paper Bag Whale (online)

Bible Crafts
Bible Craft Videos (online)
Crafting the Word of God (online)

Easy-to-Make Bible Crafts PDF for Kids
& Digital Album Download [PDF Download]


Encyclopedia Of Bible Crafts For Preschoolers
Hot Crafts for Cool Kids pdf download
Maker-ific WOWS! (ages 8-12): 54 Surprising Bible Crafts
Puppet Crafts For Kids (online)

The Big Picture Bible Crafts:
101 Simple and Amazing Crafts to Help Teach Children the Bible



child reading a book


Watch amazing little girl tell the story of Jonah!

Arch Books Bible Stories: Jonah and the Very Big Fish
Arch Books Bible Stories: Jonah, The Runaway Prophet
Discover 4 Yourself, Children's Bible Study Series: Wrong Way, Jonah!
HOBC Bible Big Book: Jonah
Jonah and the Whale online story (online)
Jonah Comic Book
Jonah, God's Messenger
Jonah Read online (online)
Read the story in the Bible (online)
Runaway: Jonah and the Whale (online)
Solomon/Jonah Flip-Over Book
The Runaway Prophet or the Chicken of the Sea (online)
The Story of Jonah listen online (online)
Tiny Readers' Jonah

365 Read-Aloud Bedtime Bible Stories

365 Activities For Kids:
A Bible Story And Activity For Each Day Of The Year


100 Bible Stories 100 Bible Songs w/2 CD
Beginner's Bible
Beginner's Bible for Little Ones
Bible in Pictures For Toddlers
Bible stories
Early Reader's Bible
Little Pilgrim's Progress
The Comic Book Bible
The Preschooler's Bible
Toddler's Bible
Children's Books
Spanish Children's Books
The Picture Bible (also in Spanish)



singing birds

God Had A Job For Jonah (Inside The Whale) [Music Download]
God Said Go (watch online)
Jonah and the Whale Song (online)
Jonah and the Whale Song (watch online)
Jonah And The Whale [Music Download]
Jonah, Are You Gonna [Music Download]
Jonah Song and Lyrics (watch online)
Listen to My Tale of Jonah and the Whale (watch online)
Who Did (Swallow Jonah) by Cedarmont Kids [Music Download]

100 Bible Stories 100 Bible Songs
Action Bible Songs
Bible Songs on CD
Bible Songs on DVD
Illustrated Songs
150 All-Time Favorite Veggietunes
100 Singalong Bible Songs For Kids

Platinum Bible Collection of Classic Christian Songs on DVD
Sunday School Song Medley (online)
The Bible in a Minute (online)

25 Favorite Sunday School Songs
Children's Music



CDs, DVDs, and Videos

Adventures in Odyssey ® Bible Eyewitness - Hall of Faith

Bible on the Go Vol. 33: Prophets' Warnings; Jonah
(Hosea 14; Amos 1, 8-9; Jonah 1-3; Micah 6; Nahum 1; Habakkuk 3; Zephaniah 1-2) -
Unabridged Audiobook [Download]


Bugtime Adventures: A Lot to Swallow - The Story of Jonah (watch online)
God Gives Second Chances (online)
Greatest Heroes and Legends: Jonah and the Whale (online)
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie, DVD
Superbook DVD: Jonah
The Bible Comes Alive, Your Story Hour Volume 4, Audiobook on CD
The Story of Jonah - Listen online (online)
What Does God Want Me To Be When I Grow Up? (online)

All the Shows, Volume 1: 1993-1999
Do You Wonder Why? (online)
God's Story from Creation to Eternity (online)
Read and Share Toddler Bible with DVD
The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum Kit
Bible story DVDs



Resources for Parents and Teachers

Bible Query From Jonah (online)

Discover 4 Yourself, Children's Bible Study Series:
Wrong Way, Jonah!


Have you felt like giving up lately?
Have you felt like giving up lately? (listen online)
Jonah and the Great Fish Bible story activities (online)
Jonah Is Humbled By God Bible story activities (online)
Jonah Lesson 4 (online)
Jonah Part 1 Bible Art [Download]

Free Bible story images (online)
801 Questions Kids Ask About God
Absentee Postcards
African American Resources
Almost Every Answer for Practically Any Teacher
Bible for Children in 232 languages (online)
Children's Ministry
Bible Memory Match Game
Big Book of Bible Games
Bulletin Board helps
Chicken Soup for the Teacher's Soul
Children's Sermon (online)
Church Supplies
Closing Prayer (online)

FREE materials to Bible schools, Bible colleges, seminaries,
churches, missionaries & individuals worldwide
(online)

52 Games That Teach The Bible
Free educational videos (online)
God's Servants Teach Me

God's Wisdom for Little Boys:
Character-Building Fun from Proverbs


Help! I'm a Sunday School Teacher
How To Lead a Child To Christ
How to Make Bible Characters from Milk Cartons (online)
KidMin ToolBox: Boxed Book Set
King James Version Gift & Award Bibles

Leading Little Ones to God:
A Child's Book of Bible Teachings


Lord Teach Me To Pray For Kids
Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours
Memory Verse Activities (online)
Memory Verse Resources
Object Talks
Opening Prayer (online)
Parenting Resources
Puppet Scripts
Review Activities for Bible Lessons (online)
Seven Laws of the Learner
Spanish Resources
Sunday school resources
Sunday School Songs: Lyrics and Tunes (online)
Talking to God
Teachers' Reproducible Classroom Pages
Teaching Children Memory Verses Ages 4-5
Teaching Children To Pray Ages 4-5
Teaching to Change Lives
The Beginner's Bible Curriculum Kit
The Jesus Storybook Bible Curriculum Kit

The Humongous Book of Bible Skits
for Children's Ministry


Vacation Bible School
What Every Sunday School Teacher Should Know

Children's resources (online)

Jonah end pic


The Children\'s Chapel award-winning site featuring Bible stories from a variety of authors excellent Christian resources for children and over 140 links to other Christian and family-friendly sites for kids

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