Rhonda Gowler Greene - Jonah and the Great Big Fish

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Jonah and the Great Big Fish
Copyright 2007 by Rhonda Gowler Greene
Illustrations 2014 by Margaret Spengler

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Editor: Barbara Herndon
Art direction & design: Mary pat Pino

For my sons, Matt, Aaron, and Brad, with love.
RGG

To my sisters, Nancy and Marilynfor sharing the adventure.
MS

The word of the Lord came to Jonah
Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it,
because its wickedness has come up before me.

Taken from Jonah 1:

God told Jonah to obey,
said, Go to Nineveh this day.

Preach to all
the people there.
Though they sin,
tell them I care.

Tell them they
need to repent.
Yes, Jonah was the one
God sent.

But, stubborn Jonah fled instead.
Didnt do what God had said.

Yes, he ran
from the Lord.
Saw a ship and climbed aboard.

As he rested
down below,
a mighty wind
began to blow.

Angry waves from the sea

w h i p p e d that ship so violently.

Splashing, crashing waves so tall

made that ship prove weak and small.

The sailors, scared,
but still quite brave,
could not survive that
wind and wave.

Anxious cries,
What to do?
They asked Jonah, Who are you?

He said, I fled from the Lord.
Paid my way and climbed aboard.

Jonah added, Throw me in.
I disobeyed and caused this wind.

Still, the mariners all sailed,
but the waves and wind prevailed.

So splash!
they threw Jonah in.
And it ceased
that mighty wind!

Jonah, helpless,
in the sea
began to s i n k
but suddenly

A great big fish
opened W-I-D-E,
swallowed Jonah
deep inside.

Down
and
down
and
down
he went,
cold and
frightened,
wet and spent.

It was dark,
damp, and dreary.
Jonah, troubled and
so weary,

oh, was sorry
he had fled.
Should have done
what God had said.

In that belly day and night,
Jonah prayed with all his might.

Three long days finally

God heard Jonahs mournful plea.

Made that fish
swim to land,
spit him out upon the sand,

where once again

Jonah heard the Lords command.

Go to Nineveh,
I say.
Jonah said,
I will obey.