when God speaks

WHEN GOD SPEAKS

by Gay Brown

"ARISE AND GO TO NINEVAH"
GOD TOLD JONAH ONE FINE DAY
THE PEOPLE THERE ARE WICKED
A PRICE THEY'LL HAVE TO PAY

BUT JONAH FLED TO TARSHISH
FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
AND FOUND A SHIP IN JOPPA
AND CLIMBED HIMSELF ABOARD

BUT THE LORD SENT OUT A WIND SO GREAT
THE SHIP WAS TURNED AND TOSSED
THIS FRIGHTENED ALL THE MARINERS
THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE LOST

BUT JONAH LAY WITHIN THE SHIP
FOR HE WAS FAST ASLEEP
HE NEVER NOTICED ANYTHING
HE NEVER HEARD A PEEP

NOW EVERYONE SAID LET'S CAST LOTS
TO SEE WHERE THIS PROBLEM LIES
AND THE LOT FELL TO JONAH
HE JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE HIS EYES

HE FELT HE MUST HAVE CAUSED THE STORM
BECAUSE HE HAD DISOBEYED
HE TOLD THE MEN TO THROW HIM IN
THE BLAME ON HIM WAS LAID

IN THE SEA THERE WAS A FISH
A BIG ONE TO BE SURE
IT SWALLOWED JONAH IN ONE GULP
THREE DAYS HE DID ENDURE

NOW JONAH CRIED UNTO THE LORD
FROM THE BELLY OF THE FISH
FOR THE FISH TO JUST SPIT HIM OUT
WAS JONAH'S GREATEST WISH

WHEN JONAH FINALLY LANDED ON
THE BEACH, HE HEARD GOD SAY.
'ARISE AND GO TO NINEVAH'
'AND GO THIS VERY DAY'
FOR THREE LONG DAYS HE JOURNEYED FAR
THIS TIME HE WOULD OBEY!

SO REMEMBER WHEN GOD SPEAKS TO YOU
DON'T TURN YOUR HEAD AND AND SAY
I WON'T DO YOUR WORK, TODAY LORD
OR A PRICE YOU'LL HAVE TO PAY

By Gay Brown ©1999

Return to Poetry by Gay Brown