Nature Notes
Jesus knew that people
loved stories. He also knew that we can learn from stories. Stories can teach
us how to behave, how to speak, how to make good choices and how to treat
other people. Jesus used stories about animals and plants to teach us about
God’s love. He used a story about an injured man to teach us how to treat
others. Jesus told stories about a lost penny, buried treasure and a
priceless pearl to emphasize the importance of seeking God and His
righteousness. He also used stories about farming and house building to teach
us the importance of Bible study and prayer.
Yes, Jesus’ stories were
very important. In fact, what Jesus has to say is so important that even the
winds and the waves obey Him. Remember the story of Jesus telling the wind
and the waves, “Peace, be still”? Do you remember the whale that swallowed
Jonah? Well, that whale obeyed Jesus, too.
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Spiritual Connection
In the Bible, there’s a
story about two sisters: Mary and Martha. One day, when Jesus was visiting
them, Mary sat at His feet listening to everything He had to say. She wanted
to learn from His stories; she wanted to be the best person she could
possibly be. Martha, though, was busy. She was busy making dinner, cleaning
the kitchen and dishes, straightening up the house and putting things away. After
a while, Martha complained to Jesus: “Mary has left me to do all the work!
Tell her to come help me!”
In response, Jesus told
Martha: “Martha, you care about a lot of things and you let a lot of things
worry you. But Mary has chosen to sit at my feet and learn from me. I will
not take this away from her” (Luke10:38-42).
In other words, Jesus was
telling Martha: Your sister has chosen to learn about God and this is the
most important thing you could ever learn about. We need the stories of Jesus
to help teach us how to behave, how to speak, how to make good choices and
how to treat other people. We need the stories in the Bible to help us learn
about God’s love and care.
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Photos & Prints
© Christine Gillan Byrne, 2012. Young Child Ministries,
P.O. Box 27, Ojai, CA 93024 (805) 490-6055. www.youngchildministries.com.
Used with permission. |
Closure
Did you know that you can
have Jesus visit your house? All you have to do is bow in prayer and ask Him
to come in to your home. Spend time with your Bible, looking at the Bible pictures
and listening to Bible stories. Then someday soon, you will be able to see
Jesus for real – when He comes with all His angles in clouds of glory to take
us to Heaven.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to
have Jesus visit your home and tell you stories?
What would you do if Jesus
came to your house?
Would you want Him to tell
you stories?
Would you sit at His feet
to listen?
Let’s ask Him right now to
come into our room.
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