Romans 9
Explanation and Bible story for toddlers and preschoolers (ages 3-6)
The Explanation
It was evening. A little lamp was burning on the table. Paul sat there with a pen in his hand. He was writing a letter. But look, Paul's eyes were wet. Big tears.
Paul was sad. Very, very sad. He was thinking about his family. About all the people from his own country. He loved them so much. But many of them did not want to listen to Jesus. That hurt in Paul's heart. It hurt and hurt and would not stop hurting.
So Paul dipped his pen in the ink. And he wrote something about hands. About two hands and a lump of clay.
What Does This Mean?
Have you ever squeezed clay? It is soft. It is cold. It squishes between your fingers.
Paul wrote: think of a man making a pot. He sits down. He takes the wet clay. He turns it round and round. He presses with his thumbs. And slowly a beautiful pot grows in his hands.
Now, does the clay say, "Hey, make me different"? No. Clay cannot talk. The clay just lies there and lets the hands work.
God is like those hands, Paul wrote. God made you. God chose you. Not because you were the fastest or the nicest. Just because God wanted to be kind to you. God is kind because God is kind. That is the way He is.
Long ago God even chose a little baby who was not born yet. Jacob, that was his name. Jacob had done nothing at all yet, nothing good and nothing naughty. And still God said, "I choose you."
The Common Thread
And then Paul wrote the most beautiful part of his letter. He wrote it down carefully, in his own handwriting.
There were people far away. They did not know God at all. Nobody said to them, "You belong to God." Nobody.
But God said something. God said: I will call them my people. I will call them my dear ones. There where people said, "You are not mine," there they will be called children of the living God.
Do you hear that? God says it Himself. Mine. You are mine.
And who makes it happen? Jesus. Jesus is like a big stone, laid down by God. Some people trip over that stone and fall. But whoever holds on to Jesus is never, ever disappointed.
For You
Paul put down his pen. The lamp flickered. The letter was finished.
And that letter is for you too. Because you did not have to be very good first. You did not have to run very fast. You may just come, with your two hands open, like soft clay.
God says to you: come here. You are mine.
Can you hold out your hands? Look at them. God made those hands. Every little finger. God knows your name.
Talk About It
Have you ever felt clay? What did you make with it?
God says, "You are mine." How does that feel when you hear it?
Praying Together
Dear God,
You made my hands. You made me.
Thank you that You say: you are mine.
I want to hold on to Jesus.
Amen.
Questions about Romans 9
Short answers for anyone reading about this for the first time.
What is Romans 9 about?
What does Romans 9 say?
What does Romans 9 teach us about God?
What can toddlers learn from Romans 9?
Why is Romans 9 an important Bible story?
What others discovered
Paul lists what belongs to his own people: "whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises." Every gift, and still he weeps for them. It stops me. You can grow up surrounded by holy things, Bibles, hymns, church, and still hold Christ at arm's length. Privilege is not the same as surrender.
Looking for something for slightly older children?
We also have dedicated versions for elementary age (7-12) and teens (12 and up).
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