We've said it before... but we are REALLY delighting in Bible stories with our kids from the Jesus Story Book Bible (link under "favorites" on the right.) Last night Matt read aloud the story of the angels announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds and the song that the angels sang struck me sweetly and powerfully- from Luke 2.
"Glory to God! To God be Fame and Honor and all our Hoorays!"
Is there any greater song for us to sing with our lives? And doesn't singing a great song, greatly move us, bring us joy... even the kind of joy that brings a tearful gladness in times of sorrow? Oh to have our hearts and minds anchored in that same joy of the angels.
So often I think we- definitely I- get distracted by such smaller, lesser things. We can slip into treating "our Christianity" as a way to have God's blessing- his wisdom, help, protection- on our lives for us to do as we please, with all his favor on top of it.
Lord move us to see YOU at the center of the Gospel, and know that our deepest joy and pleasure and soul satisfaction comes in knowing and treasuring you. Help us to better understand that our lives are really wholly hinged on you, on your greatness, your kingdom, your purpose, your glory... and not the other way around. You are our center, core, the glory we run hard after. YOU deserve all our Hoorays!
"Lord we love to obey your laws; our hearts desire is to glorify your name." Isaiah 26:8
May it be so, oh God.
What Bible story book are you using? We have a childrens Bible we have always read from but have literally wore it from use and from being hauled to our camps and every other place we go. The one you are using sounds good, I would like to check it out.
ReplyDeleteYEA! I would gladly recommend it! It's called "The Jesus Storybook Bible" by Sally Lloyd-Jones. Published by Zonderkids. Honestly, Matt and I have really been enjoying the perspective on the stories and the way the stories are taught and not just told....
ReplyDeleteI get teary just thinking of the first story (kind of an intro to the whole story of the Bible) and definitely for the last story.... how it ends: "John came to the end of his book. But he didn't write "The End."... instead he wrote "Come quickly, Jesus!" Which, perhaps, is really just another way of saying.... To Be Continued...
There's a link to the page at Amazon to order this Bible under our "random favorites" on the right side-bar.