One Perfect Plan: The Bible's Big Story in Tiny PoemsSample

Day 3: God Protects and Defends Us

One queen—
emboldened by God to be brave;
for a time such as this . . . Her people are saved.

One big fish—
It swallows Jonah alive!
Three days in this tomb, and still he survives.

One God—
our Savior, Redeemer, and Friend;
throughout all time, God protects and defends.

When you’re little, there are a lot of things that seem big. Some days seem awfully scary, too, whether because of a dog barking on the other side of the street or because the pool water looks too deep.

You’re not alone in feeling worried and scared. Even heroes in the Bible felt this way at times. The prophet Jonah ran away from God because he didn’t like the Ninevites, and he was afraid to speak to them. Still, God kept after Jonah, even commanding a giant fish to swallow up Jonah for three days so that Jonah would learn to share God’s love with very stubborn people.

Queen Esther also faced a scary situation. An evil man named Hamon filled the King’s head with ideas about killing her people, the Jews. Esther was determined, even if it meant risking her own life, to save her people from danger. She felt God gifted her “for a time such as this,” and she spoke up.

Throughout all time, God has protected and defended those who cry out to Him, even when our problems seem very small.

Question: Is there something that doesn’t seem right in your world? Have you seen someone getting bullied or made fun of in school or on the playground? Ask God to give you the strength to help them out.

Prayer: Dear God, please help me be brave in the moments when I am feeling scared. Teach me to be a friend to someone who needs a friend this week. I want to share Your love with others.