the Jesus storybook bible

Recently, Bill and I have started reading The Jesus Storybook Bible to William.  We've read his toddler Bible about a gazillion times.  It's pretty watered down, and since William's language and comprehension have been developing more, we thought it was time to move on to something a little more meatier.  The Jesus Storybook Bible is still a little over his head, so we may have to hold off on it a little longer.  But we've been reading it for the first time over the last few nights and I LOVE it!  It actually made me cry.  Not only does it tell Bible stories, but it also explains what actually happened.  I literally felt like I was reading a sermon.  And it was incredibly Gospel-centered.  We've only read the first few chapters, but if the rest of the book is anything like the beginning, we can't wait until William is old enough to jump into it with him and talk to him about it.  

Here's an excerpt of what I read from Adam and Eve in the garden.  It ministered so much to my soul as I read it to William.  It contained such rich truth...

As soon as the snake saw his chance, he slithered silently up to Eve.  "Does God really love you?" the serpent whispered.  "If he does, why won't he let you eat the nice, juicy, delicious fruit?  Poor you, perhaps God doesn't want you to be happy."

The snake's words hissed into her ears and sunk down deep into her heart, like poison.  "Does God love me?"  Eve wondered.  Suddenly she didn't know anymore.  

"Just trust me," the serpent whispered.  "You don't need God.  One small taste, that's all, and you'll be happier than you could ever dream..."

Eve picked the fruit and ate some.  And Adam ate some, too.

And a terrible lie came into the world.  It would never leave.  It would live on in every human heart, whispering to every one of God's children:  "God doesn't love me."  

And it wasn't a dream.  It was a nightmare.

A dove flew from Adam's hand.  A deer darted in a thicket.  It was as if they were frightened by something.  A chill was in the air.  Something strange was happening.  They had always been naked - but now they felt naked, and wrong, and they didn't want anyone to see them.  So they hid.

Later that evening, as God was taking his walk, he called to them.  "Children?"

Usually Adam and Eve loved to hear God's voice and would run to him.  But this time, they ran away from him and hid in the shadows.  

"Where are you?" God called.

"Hiding," Adam said.  "We're afraid of you."

"Did you eat the fruit I told you not to eat?" God asked them.

Adam said, "Eve made me do it!"

"What have you done?" God asked.

Eve said, "The serpent made me do it!"

And terrible pain came into God's heart.  His children hadn't just broken the one rule; they had broken God's heart.  They had broken their wonderful relationship with him.  And now he knew everything else would break.  God's creation would start to unravel, and come undone, and go wrong.  From now on, everything would die - even though it was supposed to last forever.

You see, sin had come into God's perfect world.  And it would never leave.  God's children would be always running away from him and hiding in the dark.  Their hearts would break now, and never work properly again.

God couldn't let his children live forever, not in such pain, not without him.  There was only one way to protect them.

"You will have to leave the garden now," God told his children, his eyes filling with tears.  "This is no longer your true home, it's not the place for you anymore."

But before they left the garden, God made clothes for his children, to cover them.  He gently clothed them and then he sent them away on a long, long journey - out of the garden, out of their home.  

Well, in another story, it would all be over and that would have been...

The End.

But not in this Story.

God loved his children too much to let the story end there.  Even though he knew he would suffer, God had a plan - a magnificent dream.  One day, he would get his children back.  One day, he would make the world their perfect home again.  And one day, he would wipe away every tear from their eyes.

You see, no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love his children - with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.

And though they would forget him, and run from him, deep in their hearts, God's children would miss him always, and long for him - lost children yearning for their home.

Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve:  "It will not always be so!  I will come to rescue you!  And when I do, I'm going to do battle against the snake.  I'll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here.  I'm coming back for you!"

And he would.  One day, God himself would come.

Can't wait to read more and see what happens!  ;)