Do you know why so many people are unhappy, our child? (Psalm 32:10)

Well the answer to that question, and how we can be different, and be happy, is in this part of our Bible Story.

Nanna and Grandad wonder if you will find the answer.

Do you think you can find the answer of why people are unhappy, when they could be happy? (Proverbs 16:20)

Remember how we talked about God our Father and God His Son (Jesus) remaking the creation, so beautiful, so Adam and Eve could live on Earth, and have children just like you? (Genesis 1:26-27)

Well, when God remade everything on the earth, one of the things God made so wonderful, was the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:15)

Can you imagine, it had lots of pretty coloured flowers and delicious fruit on fruit trees. It had rushing streams and cascading waterfalls sparkling in the sunlight. It was a garden full of adventure and fantastic animals to play with.

God wanted Adam and Eve to have fun together in the garden, and to look after it and care for it.

Do people look after the part of the world they are in today, and not drop litter?

So, God had some good talks to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and told them how to live. (Genesis 2:16)

God told them what was right and wrong.

What are some things you know are right, our child?

What are some things you know are wrong or bad?

As Adam and Eve walked around the Garden, they noticed 2 very special trees.

God said to them: “This lovely tree is called ‘The tree of Life’ and this other tree is called ‘The tree of knowledge of Good and Evil’”.

In love, God told Adam and Eve: “You can eat from all of the trees in the Garden. But I am warning you now, do NOT eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, or you will only bring trouble and death sooner or later on yourselves and your children.” (Genesis 2:17)

Nanna says that Adam and Eve were wise and followed God for a little while, but then they did a very bad thing.

Do you know what that was?

Eve was walking in the Garden by herself one day, and she suddenly saw a snake all wrapped around the branches of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. (Genesis 3:1-6)

She was surprised to hear the snake hissing and starting to talk to her from the Tree.

Satan the devil had made himself look like a snake so he could trick Eve.

Satan in the snake, temped Eve to eat the fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil, by saying she would be clever if she did.

Eve did not listen to what God had said about not eating the fruit from this tree.  So she obeyed Satan and not God and she also gave some of the fruit to Adam to eat, too.

Both of them did a very bad thing, didn’t they?

This became the start of being unhappy.

When we love God and do what God says, we can be very happy.

But, if we don’t do what God says, and be selfish, we will be very unhappy and sad.

Satan started all the disobedience to God and all trouble and sadness for all people.

Adam and Eve made the wrong choice, didn’t they, our child?

What should Adam and Eve have done, instead?

When God asked what they had done, they made excuses and blamed each other, instead of being honest and sorry to God, which is called repentance. (Genesis 3:12-14)

God sent Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden and set an angel with a flaming sword to stop anyone entering again, or going near the lovely Tree of Life. (Genesis 3:24)

Then Adam and Eve had to go out and work very hard for a living.

Because of their sins, by breaking God’s good laws, they had prickles, thorns and weeds come as a curse. They had pain for women in childbirth come, because of their disobedience. They had many heartaches, but were filled with pride, instead of being humble before God.

Then Adam and Eve had children, but Nanna is telling Grandad, to finish up now and save this part of the story for next time.

Grandad just wanted to ask you some things from this story, ok?

Did you learn what really makes us happy and what makes us unhappy? (Psalm 32:10-11)

Also, did you know we still have two trees to choose from each day of our lives?

Yes, we can be wise, and still choose to eat God's good fruit of God's right way to live, called the "Tree of Life".

We can love God and keep God’s commandments.

Or we can be silly and foolish and eat from Satan's bad "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil".

Which one should we choose to eat from, our child?

Nanna asks you, our dear child:

“Is God’s way of life the way of give or the selfish way of get?

Is the way of love better than hate?

Is the way of co-operation better than competition?”

Grandad and Nanna believe you already know the precious answer to these questions:

Give not get (Matthew 10:8, Luke 6:38)

Love not hate. (1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:16)

Helpful not stubborn (Psalm 78:8, 1 Samuel 15:23)

Peace not fighting (Matthew 5:9, James 4:1-2)

Kind not mean. (Colossians 3:12)

Love God and do not turn from God. (Genesis 6:5, Matthew 22:37)

To be continued with Chapter 4…