Sunday School Answer

You've heard the running jokes about "Sunday School Answers." There's even the one about the little boy...

The Sunday School Teacher asks the children to figure out the answer to a riddle:
What is gray, has a bushy tail, and collects nuts?
No one answers at first. Then, a boy raises his hand and, in frustration, answers,
"It sure sounds like a squirrel, but I'm gonna say Jesus."

Have you ever noticed how we segment out Bible stories, retelling the favorite ones, celebrating the heroes, and going over rules we find? Personally, I have loved learning from Scripture, but only in my college/adult years has it truly "clicked" for me that there is a common thread that runs through the tapestry of all of the beloved stories and even the difficult parts to read (Leviticus, anyone? :) ) There is a bigger picture to all of this than just a recounting of history, religion, and morality.

Caleb and Anna both received children's Bibles from our church when we participated in Family Dedication services after their respective births. Caleb loves hearing the paraphrased stories of true, real, historical heroes of the faith. Now, however, I've stumbled across something that I think will still encourage him to discover Scripture's stories all while pointing him to the One to which all of its stories reference, directly or indirectly.
I even find myself with misty eyes as I rediscover how all of the stories in the Word "whisper His name," and as I remember that this is not just a compilation of true stories, but the active work of the Living, Loving God who was willing to give the ultimate sacrifice to restore and redeem us, His creation, for His glory, if we will believe in and follow His Son.

Here a couple of excerpts from The Jesus Storybook Bible written by Sally Lloyd-Jones, published by Zondervan:

from "A Giant Staircase to Heaven" about the tower of Babel:

After that, people scattered all over the world (which is how we ended up with so many different languages to this day).

You see, God knew, however high they reached, however hard they tried, people could never get back to heaven by themselves. People didn't need a staircase; they needed a Rescuer. Because the way back to heaven wasn't a staircase; it was a Person.

People could never reach up to Heaven, so Heaven would have to come down to them.

And, one day, it would.

from "The Girl No One Wanted" about Leah and Jacob and Rachel:

Now when Leah knew that God loved her, in her heart, suddenly it didn't matter anymore whether her husband loved her the best, or if she was the prettiest. Someone had chosen her, someone did love her-- with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love...

...

...One of Leah's children's children's children would be a prince -- the Prince of Heaven -- God's Son.

This Prince would love God's people. They wouldn't need to be beautiful for him to love them. He would love them with all of his heart. And they would be beautiful because he loved them.

Like Leah.

from "God's Messenger" about Jonah and the Whale:

Many years later, God was going to send another Messenger with the same wonderful message. Like Jonah, he would spend three days in utter darkness.

But this Messenger would be God's own Son. He would be called "The Word" because he himself would be God's Message. God's Message translated into our own language. Everything God wanted to say to the whold world -- in a Person.

I'd recommend that every home have a copy (or borrow one from a library!)... even if you don't have kiddos! What a refreshing reminder for all of us!

You can click on the picture above to visit the publisher's website, or you can likely find it in the children's section of your local Christian book store, but I found my copy at WalMart!