God told His prophet Jonah, "Go to the great city of Nineveh, and tell the people about Me." But Jonah did not want to go. Instead, he ran away — he hurried down to the sea and got on a ship sailing in the opposite direction!

But no one can run away from God. God sent a great storm, and the ship was tossed up and down on the waves until the sailors were sure it would break apart. Jonah knew the storm had come because of him, so he told the sailors to throw him into the sea. When they did, the storm stopped at once.

Did Jonah sink to the bottom? No — God had prepared a great fish, and the fish swallowed Jonah up! Jonah was inside the great fish for three days and three nights. There, in the dark, Jonah prayed to God and thanked Him for saving him. And God made the fish spit Jonah out onto the dry land.

Then God spoke to Jonah a second time: "Go to Nineveh!" This time Jonah obeyed. He walked through the great city and preached God's words — and something wonderful happened. The people of Nineveh listened! They were sorry for their sins, and God forgave them.

God is kind, and God gives second chances. He gave one to Jonah, and one to Nineveh — and He gives them to us, too.