The Storm on the Sea

[Song] “Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life.  Let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life.”

Hello, my name is Miss Barb!  Welcome to Lifeline English, the podcast that helps you know God and know English.

You can read the written script for today’s lesson online at lifelineenglish.com.

Today I want to teach you teach you several words.

The first word is “lie”.  “To lie” means to say something that is not true.  The boy lied to his mother.  He told her that he had not taken any cookies.  The past tense of “lie” is “lied”.  The politician lied to the television reporter.  But “lie” can also mean “to be in a flat position on a surface” (like a bed or the ground).  I usually lie on my side when I am in bed.  The phone is lying on the table.  The past tense of this “lie” is “lay”.  The snow lay on the ground until April this year.

“Lay” is also a present tense verb in English.  This “lay” means “to place”.  For example, we lay clean plates on the table before we eat.  He is laying your clothes on your bed.  I laid your wallet on your chair last night.  



The next words I want to teach you are the phrase, “about to”.  “About to” is always followed by a verb.  For example, “We are about to eat.”  This means we will eat very soon.  “The train is about to leave.”  This means the train has not left yet, but it will leave soon.

The last word today is “cargo”.  Cargo is not something that makes your automobile go!  :)  Cargo is something that is carried from one place to another by a boat, airplane, or train.  Freighter ships carry a lot of cargo from China to the United States.

In our last story, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh.  But Jonah ran away from God.  Jonah got into a ship that was going to Tarshish, far away from Nineveh.  But he never arrived in Tarshish.  You’ll find out why today.  Our story is called, “The Storm on the Sea”.

When I ask you a question, I will leave a space.  You can answer my question.  Then I will say the answer.  You can compare your answers with my answers.

God threw a big wind on the sea. 
Who made the wind?  God made the wind.
Where was the wind?  The wind was on the sea.
Was the wind small?  No, the wind was big.

There was a big storm. 
Was there a storm?  Yes, there was a storm.
What was the size of the storm?  The storm was big.

The ship was about to break apart. 
What was about to break apart?  The ship was about to break apart.
What was breaking the ship?  The storm was breaking the ship.

The sailors were afraid. 
Were the sails afraid?  No, the sailors were afraid.
Why were the sailors afraid?  The sailors were afraid that the ship would break apart.

Each man cried to his own god. 
Who cried?  Every man cried, all the sailors. 
Why did the sailors cry?  The sailors cried because they were afraid.
To whom did the sailors cry?  The sailors cried to their own gods.
Did the sailors cry to one God?  No, each sailor cried to his own god.  They had many different gods.

They threw the cargo into the sea.  This made the ship lighter. 
What did God throw?  God threw the wind. 
What did the sailors throw?  The sailors threw the cargo.
Where did the sailors throw the cargo?  The sailors threw the cargo into the sea.
Why did the sailors throw the cargo into the sea?  To make the ship lighter.  The sailors threw the cargo into the sea to make the ship weigh less. 

But Jonah had gone down into the ship.  He had lain down and fallen asleep. 
Did Jonah cry to his God?  No, Jonah did not cry to his God. 
Did Jonah help the sailors?  No, Jonah did not help the sailors.
Where was Jonah?  Jonah was inside the ship.
What did Jonah do?  Jonah laid down and fell asleep.

The captain went to Jonah.  The captain said, “How can you sleep? Get up! 
Did the captain go to Jonah?  Yes, the captain went to Jonah.
Did the captain want to sleep?  No, the captain did not want to sleep. 
Did the captain want Jonah to sleep?  No, the captain wanted Jonah to get up.

Pray to your God! Maybe your God will notice us. Maybe He will save us!”
What did the captain want Jonah to do?  The captain wanted Jonah to pray.
What did the captain want Jonah’s God to do?  The captain wanted Jonah’s God to notice them and save them.
Did the sailors’ gods save them?  No, the sailors’ gods did not save them.

Let’s listen to the whole story together.

God threw a big wind on the sea.  There was a big storm.  The ship was about to break apart.  The sailors were afraid.  Each man cried to his own god.  They threw the cargo into the sea.  This made the ship lighter.  But Jonah had gone down into the ship.  He had lain down and fallen asleep.  The captain went to Jonah.  The captain said, “How can you sleep? Get up!  Pray to your God! Maybe your God will notice us. Maybe He will save us!”

Now I will tell the story again.  This time I will leave a space for some words.  Try to remember what words go in the spaces.  After the spaces, I will tell you the words.  See if you can remember correctly!

God threw a big….. wind on the sea.  There was a big.... storm.  The ship was about to…  break apart.  The sailors were... afraid.  Each man cried to his own... god.  They threw the... cargo into the sea.  This made the ship... lighter.  But Jonah had gone down into the... ship.  He had lain down and fallen... asleep.  The captain went to... Jonah.  The captain said, “How can you... sleep? Get up!  Pray to your... God! Maybe your God will... notice us. Maybe He will... save us!”

Do you have any questions?  You can write me.  Go to our website, lifelineenglish.com. 

Will your God save you?  In our next story, we’ll learn why God sent the storm!

Until next time, may Jesus help you know Him and know English.  Good bye!

[Song] “Jesus only savior, sanctify forever, beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.  Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.”