The Jeremiah Project is
happy to present these children stories teaching Biblical values. As Proverbs
7:1-3 instructs us, "My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your
eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart." It is
through repeated telling of the stories of the Bible and stories teaching
Biblical values to our children that we can help them write the truths of the
Bible on the tablet of their heart. |
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We should have no other Gods before the true God
I am the Lord your
God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall
have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in
the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters
below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your
God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the
third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a
thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. [Exodus
20:2-6]
"Smudge
and Snuggles Find a Statue"
Smudge and his sister Snuggles
were not very much different from all the young chipmunks in the forest. They
loved their mommy and daddy and the time they spent together in the rafters of
the church worshiping God with the people, even though the people didnt
know they were up there. You probably have a few chipmunks worshipping in your
church with you that nobody knows about. Look for them this Sunday. You will
see them.
But the thing they loved to do, like all children of all
species love to do is play. Oh, they ran all over the forest, leaping from tree
to tree, playing "chase me, catch me" not always knowing who was doing the
chasing and who the catching. The forest was so fun to explore and they found
lots of treats to nibble on and left over toys from humans who had visited the
forest.
One day they played chase me, catch me so hard
that they ran far out of their usual play areas in the forest. Suddenly they
perched on an old stump and looked around puzzled.
Where is this
place Smudge? Snuggles asked her brother.
I am not sure.
This is a different part of the forest. Look at all the old pillars and slabs.
It looks like there was some kind of building here, like a church or
something. Smudge answered.
A church? Maybe its like
the one we sneak into and worship Jesus with the humans in town. Wouldnt
that be exciting? Lets explore Snuggles squeaked excitedly. And
explore they did. They burrowed under leaves and sticks finding interesting
colored stones and pieces of paper with squiggles on them like the books that
the humans sing from in church. Just then, Snuggles sang out with great
excitement. LOOK WHAT I FOUND SMUDGE!
Smudge leapt from
rock to rock until he reached his sister and when he saw it, he just gasped.
Its a statue! He exclaimed.
And it was a statue. It
was about the same size as the chipmunks but it wasnt like the statues at
their regular church. The little man statue was fat and his face looked
different, like pictures of oriental people they saw in the childrens
picture books they spied on after Sunday School. The little fat man didnt
have a shirt on and he was sitting cross-legged. His hands rested on his knees
with the palms up and one finger touching the thumb and he was smiling with his
eyes closed. It looks like he is praying Smudge observed.
If this is a church, maybe this is the god that they worshipped, like we
have statues of Jesus at the human church. Snuggles thought.
Maybe thats it! Smudge said as he tried to understand.
We better worship it! So the little chipmunks tried to make up
worship songs for the statue. They sang
.
YOU ARE THE
BEST STATUE GOD IN THE FOREST but that one didnt have very good
tune.
FAT MAN STATUES LOVE US, THIS WE KNOW
but the
statue didnt seem to love them very much.
Snuggles, why
dont I feel peace and joy inside like when we worship Jesus? Smudge
wondered.
I know why Snuggles said with alarm jumping back
from the statue. Remember Pastor Jones preached about the idols the bad
religions worshiped in the old part of their religion book? I think this is an
idol Snuggles!
And God said in those 10 rules Moses got
from the mountain, I am the LORD your God, You shall have no other gods
before me said Snuggles with alarm in her chipmunk voice. Oh
Smudge, we shouldnt be worshipping this fat man statue at all.
I dont feel joy and peace at all right now Snuggles. In
fact, I have a tummy ache, Smudge complained. Just then, a big black
cloud formed over the forest, thunder boomed making Smudge and Snuggles jump
with fright and it began to storm.
Lets run home!
Smudge screamed in fear.
The two little chipmunks never ran so fast.
Over the rocks and fallen trees, past bushes and all the other animals they
knew until they found the forest where they felt safe and then straight home
and to their hutch in the chipmunk home they shared with mommy and daddy. There
they felt safe and promised each other they would never go to that part of the
forest again. And they were so glad tomorrow was Sunday so they could go
worship the one true God like they were supposed to do.
We know that an idol
is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if
there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are
many gods and many lords), yet for us there is but one
God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is
but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we
live. [1 Corinthians 8:4-6]
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