Jonah, Episode 1: When You'd Rather Run Than Obey
Episode 1 of a 5-part Jonah series. A prophet hears God's call to go preach to the violent capital of his nation's worst enemy, and books a ticket for the opposite end of the known world instead. The story drops kids into Jonah's real fear, the Mediterranean storm, and the sailors who end up worshiping God while Jonah sleeps in the bottom of the boat.
For Parents
If your kid has been doing the kid-version of running from something hard, an apology they won't make, a friendship they keep avoiding, a hurt they won't talk about, this episode meets them there. Pastor Justin walks them through Jonah 1, where God tells a reluctant prophet to go to the city of his enemies and Jonah books a ticket for the opposite end of the known world instead. After it ends, ask your kid what they've been quietly running from.
The One Thing for the Ride
“You can run from God's instruction, but you won't get far. When you run, storms follow.”
Scripture
Jonah 1:2
CSB
Key Takeaways
- Opens a 5-part Jonah deep-dive series, told for kids with the historical and emotional context the picture books usually skip
- Names Jonah's real fear: God didn't just ask him to do something hard, he asked him to help the people who had hurt Jonah's nation
- Walks kids through the geography (Nineveh east, Tarshish west, the edge of the known world) and the Mediterranean storm scene
- Names the surprising twist: the pagan sailors end up worshiping God because of Jonah's failed escape, but Jonah's own story is just getting started
- Lands on the One Thing: you can run from God, but you won't get far, and the storms follow
Try This Week
- This week, name one thing God might be asking you to do that you've been quietly running from. Then take one small step toward it instead of away.
Talk It Over
What's something we've been avoiding as a family that we know God wants us to face?
Listen on your favorite platform
