Jonah

God spoke to Jonah

And gave him com­mand:

Go east to Ni­ne­veh

And tell them My plan.

Jonah ob­ject­ed

And fled from the Lord;

Soon found a ship head­ed

West

went on board.

Then God sent forth a tem­pest;

Upon the ship it beat.

Each man cried to his own god

But Jo­nah fell asleep.

The sail­ors came and woke him

His bu­si­ness did d­emand.

He said

My God’s

The Lord of Heav’n

Who made the sea and land.

The sea grew rough­er

Till Jo­nah did cry

It’s all my fault

Cast me down

let me die!

They tried to row back

But could not pre­vail;

Threw Jon­ah ov­er;

The waves then grew still.

Then God sent forth a great fish;

It swal­lowed him al­ive.

For three days from its stom­ach

He prayed to God on high.

He gave up worth­less id­ols;

With thanks he spoke this word:

What I have vowed

I will make good;

Salvation’s from the Lord.

God told the fish to

Spit Jo­nah back out;

Then said to Jo­nah

To Ni­ne­veh set out.

Jonah ob­eyed and

Proclaimed all God’s word:

Forty more days

Then you’ll all be de­stroyed!

The people all believ­ed God;

They fast­ed and they prayed.

In sack­cloth they re­pent­ed

Gave up their ev­il ways.

When God saw their re­pent­ance

He felt com­pas­sion great.

He turned from his fierce an­ger and

Did not ful­fill his threat.

Jonah was ang­ry

That God would for­give;

Said

Lord

please kill me

I don’t want to live.

Then he went out­side

The ci­ty to see

What God would do

What the out­come would be.

God sent a vine to shade him

But then he sent a worm.

The vine did quick­ly wi­ther;

The wind and sun did burn.

In an­ger Jo­nah cried out;

He thought his life should end.

God said

You cared

About the vine;

Should I not care for men?

Lord

when a mis­sion

You give un­to me

May I ob­ey You

And not try to flee.

You are so gra­cious

Compassionate e’er

Slow to get an­gry

Abounding in care.

May I pro­claim Your mes­sage

To those who need to hear

So that they will not per­ish

Nor judg­ment from You fear.

May I not val­ue com­fort

Nor fault You for Your grace.

Give me your heart

For all the lost

Until I see Your face.