Read an Excerpt
Children of God Storybook Bible
By Desmond Tutu Zondervan
Copyright © 2010 Desmond Tutu
All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-310-71912-0
Chapter One
God loves a child's welcoming heart
Jesus Blesses the Little Children Mark 10
Jesus spent many hours teaching people about God and how he loves us all. One day, when Jesus was tired and resting, some parents arrived with their children. The children were giggling and laughing and running around making noise while their parents asked the disciples if they could speak with Jesus.
"What do you want with the Master?" asked the disciples.
"We want him to bless our children."
"The Master is resting," the disciples said. "You can't bother him now. Go home."
But Jesus heard them. "Do not chase away the children!" he called. "Let them come to me. God loves children, and when they smile, he smiles; when they laugh, he laughs; when they cry, he cries."
Jesus went to the children, and they laughed and played together for a while. He took them in his arms and hugged them. He placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. Then he told the disciples, "Everyone who wants to see God's dream come true must see with the eyes of a child."
Dear God, help me to see your dream.
God chooses Samuel as his messenger
Samuel in the Temple 1 Samuel 3
A young boy named Samuel lived with a priest named Eli, who taught him to love God with all his heart. But Eli's sons were wicked and did not listen to their father or to God. They did not respect what was holy and took what was not theirs.
One night while Samuel was sleeping, he heard a voice calling, "Samuel! Samuel!" He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am."
"I didn't call you," said Eli. "Go back to sleep."
Samuel lay down, but again he heard someone calling him. He ran to Eli, but was told to go back to bed.
"Samuel! Samuel!" the voice called a third time.
This time Eli understood that it was God calling Samuel. "If you hear the voice again, say, 'Speak, your servant is listening.'"
"Samuel! Samuel!" came the voice yet again.
"Speak, Lord, your servant is listening," Samuel replied.
The next day Eli asked Samuel to tell him what God had said. Samuel was afraid to tell him, but Eli insisted. "God is upset that your sons have behaved badly and plans to punish the wicked."
Eli bowed his head and said, "He is the Lord and will do what he knows is right."
Dear God, let me hear you when you call.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Children of God Storybook Bible by Desmond Tutu Copyright © 2010 by Desmond Tutu. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
