Unbreakable Joy: A Great Question

Monday, February 18, 2008

A Great Question

Today while reading to my daughter, from the Jesus Storybook Bible, she was prompted by the story of the fall to ask a great question. "Daddy, why did they listen to the snake instead of to God?" Christian daddies live for such moments. This prompted a brief but excellent conversation about sin and our hearts that can only be truly & completely satisfied in God.

We've been reading at least one story a day from this book. Honestly it is one of the highlights of my day to have time set aside for Christ-centered interaction with my daughter with the aid of this wonderful book. This is a must for Christian parents and for those hoping to be parents.

It occurred to me that because of the Scripture-saturated and Christ-centered nature of this book that it would be a great outreach tool as well. It is something I would definitely give to non-Christian friends who have or are having children in the hopes that they may be exposed to the life changing Gospel.

I also noticed today for the first time (I know... I'm kinda slow) that the author of the book is Sally Lloyd-Jones. I'm curious to discover the relation to another Christ-centered Lloyd-Jones.

3 comments:

mwh said...: That's exciting! I pray many more such conversations will follow!; February 18, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Sally Lloyd-Jones said...: Hi Ben
I came across your excellent blog via a google alert and thought I'd just stop by and say Hi and I'm so excited to hear of your great conversation with your daughter. writers like me live for hearing things like this
: ] PTL
It's God's story--and what an honor it is for me to have had a small part in retelling it for children

and your question is a great one--re. Dr Martyn L-J... thought you might get a kick out of a blog I wrote about it (as I'm quite often asked that same question):
http://sallylloyd-jones.blogspot.com/2007/02/are-you-lloyd-jones.html

You might also be interested to know there's loads of resources, interviews and readings of the book on my site (sallylloyd-jones.com), too.

My best to you, Ben--and thank you for allow me to share in the joy of your conversation. I pray it continues to be a wonderful tool for you

Sally; February 18, 2008 at 7:09 PM
Unbreakable Joy said...: Sally,
Thanks for your comment. It was encouraging to hear from you. Thanks for the enjoyable contribution to Christian children's books - my daughter would like to thank you as well.; February 19, 2008 at 7:10 AM

Noteworthy Quotes

Christianity preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly so worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord.
- George Mueller

If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.
- C.S. Lewis

A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, a spiritual man is hard on himself and easy on others.
- A. W. Tozer

Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Thee.
- Augustine

All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves.
- Blaise Pascal

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
- Jim Elliot

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
- C. S. Lewis

He loves Thee too little, who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake.
- Augustine

The men of this world are children. Offer a child an apple or a bank note, and he will doubtless choose the apple.
- John Newton

In the end the heart longs not for any of God's good gifts, but for God Himself. To see Him and know Him and be in His presence is the soul's final feast. Beyond this there is no quest. Words fail. We call it pleasure, joy, delight. But these are weak pointers to the unspeakable experience.
- John Piper

God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Him, because it is not there. There is no such thing.
- C.S. Lewis

It is well that we accept the hard truth now: The man who would know God must give time to Him. He must count no time wasted which is spent in the cultivation of His acquaintance. He must give himself to meditation and prayer hours on end. So did the saints of old, the glorious company of the apostles, the Godly fellowship of the prophets and the believing members of the holy church in all generations. And so must we if we would follow in their train.
- A.W. Tozer

If God contains the fullness of all good things in Himself like an inexhaustible fountain, nothing beyond him is to be sought by those who strike after the highest good and all the elements of happiness.
- John Calvin

God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him.
- John Piper

God glorifies Himself toward the creature in two ways; by appearing to their understanding, and in communicating Himself to thief hearts and their rejoicing in and delighting in Him, and enjoying manifestations He makes of Himself. God is Glorified not only by His glories being seen, but by it’s being rejoiced in. When those that see it delight in it God is more glorified than if they only see it. His glory is then received by the whole soul, both by the understanding and by the heart. God made the world that he might communicate and the creature receive His glory, and that it might be received both by the mind and the heart. He that testifies His idea of God’s glory doesn’t glorify God so much as he that testifies also his approbation of it and his delight in it.
- Jonathan Edwards