SuperVerse

Let’s look at the board and say the SuperVerse, Jonah 4:2b, together:

“I knew that You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.”

Quickly erase the words “merciful,” “compassionate,” “slow,” “angry,” “unfailing,” and “love.”

Jonah was one of God’s prophets. This means that God sent Jonah to speak God’s message to others. When the people of Ninevah repented, was Jonah happy or angry?

Jonah spoke the words of our SuperVerse to God in anger and bitterness when he saw God was going to spare the people from judgment. He told God that this was why he disobeyed God to begin with! Jonah was very familiar with God and knew God’s ways.  

Have you ever been so angry or bitter toward someone that you wanted God to punish them immediately?

Our SuperVerse tells us that God is very slow to anger and is filled with love, compassion and mercy. Compassion means to show care and concern for others who are in a bad situation. God wanted Jonah to know that we must see others through God’s eyes and not our own.

Let’s see if we can fill in the missing words of the SuperVerse.

Point to the first blank space—merciful—and alternate asking for the girls or the boys to shout the missing word. If children are stumped, offer clues or ask the other group—girls/boys—if they know the answer. When the verse is completed, have the girls and then the boys shout it aloud.