Bible story
Jonah And The Great Fish Prayer
A short, Scripture-shaped bible story prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.
The prayer
A prayer to pray now
Father, Jonah ran from Your call. He went the wrong way. The storm came. The fish swallowed him. He prayed from the belly of the fish. You were patient with him. You gave him another chance. He went to Nineveh. The city turned to You. But Jonah was angry. He wanted them to be destroyed, not saved. Father, I see myself in that. I have received Your mercy, but I do not always want to share it. I want to hold it tight and keep it from others. Change my heart. Make me glad when people turn to You, even people I think do not deserve it. The fish was patient with Jonah. You were patient with Jonah. Be patient with me.
Amen.
How to pray it
- Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
- Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
- Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.
Verses to pray
Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.
But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh.
Jonah 1:3
Questions about this prayer
When should I pray jonah and the great fish prayer?
Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.
Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?
This prayer is anchored in Jonah 1:3. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.
Can I save or share this prayer?
Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.