As if I haven't done enough to promote this Bible, here is one more reason to buy it! This article is an interview with Sally Lloyd-Jones and she gives the reader a glimpse into her reasons for writing the book, how she chose each story and how she views teaching children from the Bible. I loved reading it and thought you might like it, too.
Please go and read the entire article, but if you aren't motivated, hopefully this excerpt will drive you to it:
When I first saw that everything in the Old Testament, is pointing to a child—the one who is coming—it blew me away. Suddenly, here was a way to read the Bible without it leaving you condemned (I’ll never keep all the rules all the time) or in despair (how can I ever be as brave as Daniel? or David?).I found it so moving when I started to discover how the Old Testament is basically one long record of failure—the failure of God’s people time and time again to live rightly, to rescue themselves—and that the stories in the Old Testament are all getting us ready for the One who is coming. They are all signposts to the True Hero, the True King, the True Prince, the True Servant, the greater David, the greater Daniel. The Rescuer.
As a child, I thought the Bible was packed with rules you had to keep (or God wouldn’t love you) and heroes setting examples you had to follow (or God wouldn’t love you). I thought, in short, that the Bible was all about me and what I should (or shouldn’t) be doing. Until I read a Story.
It’s the Story running like a golden stream underneath all the other stories in the Bible: the story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. Suddenly, I realized the Bible wasn’t about me and what I should be doing at all. It was about God and what he had done. And it changed everything.
So, throughout the mapping out of the book and writing the stories, I was resolute in my determination to avoid even a whiff of moralizing in terms of applying the stories. The absolute last thing I ever wanted to ask a child was: “And what can we learn from David about how God wants us to behave?” The story isn’t there to be an example for us to follow. If that were the point, Jesus would never needed to have come. We could have saved ourselves.
The story is there because it’s true and because it’s telling the bigger story—of the greater David who is coming. To do for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves, to fight the battle we could never fight. To be the Hero we all need. To be our Rescuer.
I wanted children to know this Story—and to meet this wonderful Hero in the pages of this book. Because rules don’t change you. But a story can.
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6 comments:
Although much of what the author writes here is good, I don't agree with everything she said. I think the bible does give us stories which we can use as examples of characteristics we should try to emulate. And that has to do with our sanctification, not our salvation.
Hi Tank, thanks for commenting! Do I know you personally? Just curious how you found my blog.
Anyway, I agree with what you are saying and so does the author. If you take a moment to read the whole article on the link, including the comments, someone else makes your point and Sally Lloyd-Jones responds to it. She does a better job articulating her thoughts there. It's worth reading to fully understand what she means.
We've been reading "The Jesus Storybook Bible" every morning in our homeschool and are at the point where Jesus is born and the wise men come and worship Him. I think it's great that all the stories in this book point to the Saviour and our need for Him.
After reading "Shepherding a Child's Heart," I realized how all of life (whenever we sin, etc.) points to our need for a Saviour, and how important it is to convey that message to a child instead of giving him a standard (set of rules) he can keep, which can make him think he doesn't need a Saviour.
I really have enjoyed the childrens Bible!
NETT! Sally Lloyd-Jones commented on my blog!!!! She is the last comment on my post about the sale on the Jesus Storybook Bible. I'm so excited!!!!!!! (can't wait to tell the academic buyer). :)
Hi Donnette,
Came across your fab blog and thought I'd stop by and say hello
and thank you very much for doing all you're doing to promote the book! It's so kind and I'm so grateful. I couldn't be doing what I'm doing without people like you, that's for sure.
I'm excited to see how God is using the book--and how children (and adults) are responding to the book.
You and your readers may also be interested to know of other resources available on my website (sallylloyd-jones.com) and also that I did a fun radio interview about the book--and read from 6 of the stories. It's available at my blog--tag "BIBLE"
anyway, very much enjoy reading your blog and the comments
thanks so much!
: }
Sally
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