Wendy Maartens - Bible Stories for Children

Foreword

I am not an expert in theology, but I love children and stories, and I am continually filled with wonder by the way in which our Heavenly Father uses words to touch our hearts.

While rewriting these Bible stories for young children, I realised that all the principles that you, as a parent or carer, would like to instil in a child are contained in the pages of this book. What is more, they will teach children that God knows every one of us by name and loves us unconditionally.

I have done my best to tell each story in a factually correct way. In the process, I made new discoveries about the events and characters of the Bible (even though I thought I already knew them so well). When this happened, it was as if God quietly smiled and winked at me in my excitement.

I am also convinced that He planned it so that I would be occupied with specific stories on days when I really needed to hear them, removing me from the rough-and-tumble of that day and helping me to see and believe again like a little child. And I did! With Miriam I sang and danced and played the tambourine when the Israelites walked through the dry bed of the Red Sea. I smacked my lips to find that manna really did taste like honey to highlight but a few.

These and other precious times spent with the illustrator, Marie Prinsloo, renewed my belief in and love of God; a God who smiles, a God who forgives and frees.

Read these stories to the children in your life, to teach them how to live with abundance, no matter how young they may be, and that they should love unconditionally and be quick to forgive, just as Jesus Christ does.

I know that you, as well as those who sit in the light of your story-telling circle, will be blessed during the reading of Bible Stories for Children .

WENDY MAARTENS
2015

God made everything

GENESIS 1 VERSE 1

R ight in the beginning, there was nothing. There were no people or animals or trees. Everything was dark and quiet. But God was inside this great silence.

God wanted to see pretty colours. He wanted to hear beautiful sounds. He wanted people and animals to love. So one day He said: I am going to make something wonderful!

And He began immediately, by hanging a golden sun in the sky. It shone all day long. He also hung a silver moon in the sky to shine all night. God scattered handfuls of stars, like glitter, in the night sky.

That is lovely! He smiled to himself.

God made high mountains and the deep blue sea. On mountain-tops He sprinkled white snow. And in the deepest parts of the sea He hid secrets. One day people will have to find these, He winked.

God planted trees, flowers and grass. He stopped only when the whole earth looked like a beautiful garden. Now Im going to make animals, said God.

The littlest mouse to the largest elephant received a coat. The tiniest snail to the greatest whale was given a place to live. God showed the little sugarbird where to find nectar and the huge albatross where to soar in the air.

Im keeping the best for last, promised God. And then He made people: a man and a woman to think and love. They were His special friends and for them He made a special place to live, the Garden of Eden.

God looked at everything He had made with love and said happily, This is good!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for making everything so wonderful. And me too! Amen.

Adam and Eve are disobedient

GENESIS 3 VERSE 6

A dam and Eve lived happily in the Garden of Eden. Every evening God came to visit them and they all walked together through the garden. They told God about the blue butterfly that landed on Eves nose and about the white bunny that came to show them its babies. God enjoyed listening to their stories.

Remember not to eat any of the fruit from that tree in the middle of the garden, God reminded them.

Never, ever! they promised.

But one day a big, fat snake slithered up to them. Satan had sent it to get Adam and Eve into trouble. I hear youre not allowed to eat from the trees in the garden, said the snake.

Oh no, Eve quickly whispered, we are allowed to eat from all the trees, only not from the one right in the middle of the garden.

What nonsense, hissed the snake, God just doesnt want you to become as clever as He is by eating that fruit.

Oh, the fruit looks so delicious. Im sure just one wont matter , thought Eve to herself and she picked one. She ate it and gave Adam some to taste. All at once Adam and Eve saw that they were naked and they felt shy in front of each and other, and in front of God. They wanted to hide! They made themselves clothes out of fig leaves.

Adam, what have you done? asked God.

Its all Eves fault, answered Adam.

Its not! said Eve crossly, Its the snakes fault.

You disobeyed me, God sighed. Now you cannot live in the Garden of Eden any longer. You wont be able to walk and talk so easily with me either. And youll have to work hard to find your own food from now on.

Adam and Eve walked sadly out of the garden. Angels with swords in their hands blocked the way back to the garden. God stood there alone, just as sad as Adam and Eve.

PRAYER: Dear God, now I see that even doing one naughty thing can mess everything up. Please help me to listen to You. Amen.

Safe in Noahs ark

GENESIS 7 VERSE 5

N oah was a good man and God loved him very much. All the other people fought and stole, which made God sad. He felt that they had forgotten Him.

One day God called Noah aside and said: It is time to get rid of these wicked people who are messing up my world. Im going to send a great flood, but I want to save you and your family. You must build a huge wooden boat. Load two of every kind of animal into it. See that there is enough food for all. When the flood comes, you will be safe.

Noah and his three sons set to work. They chopped wood, and sawed and sawed until they were covered in sawdust. In their homes, the women packed all their goods. Even Noahs grandchildren helped to pack. The wicked people mocked them and laughed at such a big boat so far from the sea. Noah and his family pretended not to hear them. They knew that God had a wonderful plan.

At last everything was ready. The animals walked into the ark, two by two. There was a place for each one. Giraffe with his long neck and peacock with his fancy tail. Skunk had his own room (just as well, think what might have happened if he got a fright).

Noah was the last to climb into the ark. God Himself sealed the heavy door. Down came the rain. All the trees and houses were washed away. All the people and animals drowned. Soon the highest mountain was covered in water. Noah and his family and the animals were safe inside the ark. Just as God had promised.