Prayer

Let’s say our SuperTruth together: “God wants us to show mercy.”

Jonah was thrown into the sea and God sent a great fish to swallow him and save him from drowning in the sea. Inside the fish, Jonah understood God’s mercy. 

Read Jonah 2:1–2:

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and He answered me. I called to You from the land of the dead, and Lord, You heard me!”

Even in Jonah’s disobedience, God saved Jonah and then heard his prayer in the belly of the great fish. God ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto dry land, giving Jonah a second chance to complete his mission to take God’s message of mercy to the people of Ninevah. That is mercy shown by a loving God!

Today, we will take some time to thank God that He is merciful and that He has given us the opportunity to show His mercy to others. Think of a time that you have been shown mercy when you knew inside you didn’t deserve it. How did that feel?

Now think of someone who may need mercy—maybe someone who is difficult to get along with, like Jonah felt about the Ninevites.

Allow time for the children to pray, then close in group prayer:

Dear Father in heaven, we can’t keep any secrets from You. You know everything about us—every word we say, every thought we think, and every step we take. You know that we do many things wrong, and yet You still love us! Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to die on the cross to take our punishment. You have shown us mercy; now we pray that You will help us show Your love and forgiveness and mercy to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.