Friday, June 26, 2009

My Little Golden Book About God


I read this profound little book to my children when they were small and bought a copy for my grandaughter yesterday. How many books about God first published in 1956 are still in print today? Yet this can still be had at any Woolworths store for less than three dollars. The text by Jane Werner Watson is simple but childlike in its trust. The marvelous drawings by the incomparable Eloise Wilkin remain moving and quietly meditative with their large cherubic faces marvelling at creation's wonders great and small. Try to beat the following for a little piece of natural theology.

Look at the stars in the evening sky.
so many millions of miles away
that the light you see shining left its star
long, long years before you were born
Yet even beyond the furthest star,God knows the way.

Think of the snow-capped mountain peaks,
Those peaks were crumbling away with
age before the first people lived on earth.
Yet when they were raised up sharp and new
God was there, too.

Bend down to touch the smallest flower.
Watch the busy ant tugging at his load.
See the flash of jewels on the insect's back.
This tiny world your two hands could span,
like the oceans and mountains and far-off stars,
God planned.

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5 comments:

FOREVERWRIGHT said...

you might make a theologian of me yet Glen!

Ross said...

I still have the Women's Weekly Children's Illustrated Bible that my siblings and I received for Christmas in 1979. It wasn't based on the 1611 KJV so it's a corrupt translation.

James Garth said...

Wow, thanks for posting this.

In what can only be described as serendipity I happened to read this book to my 2 year old son, Wesley, for the first time earlier this week (I found it at his grandparents house.)

It is beautifully written, and I have to admit it even choked me up at a few points. (maybe I'm hormonal with the arrival of my second baby due this week!)

So I agree, it's a golden little book.

cheers,
James

Ross said...

My comment above is meant to be sarcastic. Perhaps I need to start using emoticons.

Glen O'Brien said...

Nah I got that. An SCD grad would not hold such a view. :)

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