A Note to Parents and Other Friends of Children: This book has two features that you will want to use. The first is the citation of the biblical passages where you will find the entire story that is summarized in these pages. If a child asks you questions about the story, use these references to find the story in your Bible and be able to answer the child’s questions. Also, after the child has listened to you read this book several times, you and the child might enjoy a discussion of the complete text of one of the Bible stories cited. You can read the passage to the child, or even better, use your own words to relate the complete story. Then ask the child questions such as: “What does this story tell us about God?” or “Who are you most like in the story?” or “What do you think was the most frightening part for the people in the story?”
A second feature that you might enjoy late in the evening, is the fact that you do not have to read this book in its entirety. Just read the introduction, two or three Bible stories, and then skip to the conclusion. To reduce the child’s objections, ask the child to choose the Bible stories to be included.
INTRODUCTION
Does your bedroom get really scary at night?
When the lights go out, does it cause you a fright?
Do you hear funny noises, like breathing or growling?
Do things watch from the corner, with eyes that are scowling?
Do shadows move? Do they creep closer and closer?
Do toys change, becoming grosser and grosser?
Do you huddle in the center of your bed?
In case something under it has not been fed?
You wouldn’t dare hang fingers or toes over that edge.
Who knows what might creep, crawl or slither under the ledge.
So you pull the covers up over your head,
holding your breath, lying still and playing dead.
Want to call for help, but afraid to make a noise?
Like to run, but worried those odd shapes are not your toys?
You can not talk out loud, but you can still pray.
There is One who hears everything you say.
This One is the God who loved you before you were born,
and guards over you through the night and into the morn.
God sees in the darkest dark, and is always close by;
is stronger than strong, and to save you, would even die.
God’s already done it in Jesus, you see.
And God’s people are safe, even you and me.
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN
God loved Daniel, and Daniel served well, doing no wrong.
But some men were jealous, saying, “He’s done well too long.”
The got the king to pass a new law forbidding prayer
to any but the king, for thirty days, everywhere.
But Daniel kept praying to God, saying his “Amen.”
So the king had to throw Daniel into the lions’ den.
God did not fail. God closed the lions’ fierce jaws tight.
Daniel stayed safe, and the lions mumbled all night.
The next morning, the king was tickled to see
that Daniel was as healthy as you and me.
“Your God is real!” the king said. “Come out! Your test is passed!”
“Let jealous men take your place.” And the lions roared, “Brrrrrreakfast!”
So hang your toes over edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(Daniel 6:1-24)
DAVID AND GOLIATH
When giant Goliath appeared dressed up like a tank,
Judah’s warriors saw his tree-size spear and their hearts sank.
King Saul searched his fighters for a volunteer.
They were all too afraid, it soon became clear.
“I’ll give my lovely daughter’s hand in marriage,” Saul said,
“to the man who gets rid of that loud-mouthed dunder-head!”
Little David was too young to be in the army,
but he thought Goliath owed God an apology.
“Who does that big loud-mouth think he is to talk that way?
He defies the army of God! Now’s his judgment day!”
Knowing that God would help, made shepherd-boy David bold;
and with David’s rock, God knocked big Goliath out cold.
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(I Samuel 17:1-58)
DEBORAH GOES TO WAR
Deborah told Barak to gather his men,
and God would defeat Sisera of Canaan.
Barak trusted God, but was afraid Deb might be wrong.
“I’ll do it,” he said, “but only if you come along.”
So Barak gathered every friend and neighbor,
and God sent rain where they hid at Mount Tabor.
Canaan’s nine hundred chariots of iron stuck fast in mud.
And Barak’s men swept over the Sisera like a flood!
“Told you so,” Deborah said. “Trust in God. That’s the key.”
And she marched home to sit again under her palm tree.
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(Judges 4:1-8 and 5:19-21)
SHADRACK, MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO IN THE FURNACE
God protected Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego,
when tossed into a furnace with fire from head to toe.
Smoke billowed out, flames leapt high, the heat was nasty-mean.
Three men were thrown in, but four could be easily seen.
Because God was in there with them, they stayed calm and cool.
The king saw this, and decided to change his bad rule.
So out they came, with not a hair singed on their three heads.
Their clothes weren’t smokey, nor scorched, not even the loose threads.
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(Daniel 3:1-30)
PAUL AND SILAS IN JAIL
A fortune-teller bothered Paul and Silas.
“Stop!” they said, “Spirit, out of her you must pass!”
The evil spirit left, and the girl was free.
Her owner’s heard, and called it a tragedy.
“To prison, deep and dark!” they angrily demanded.
So Paul and Silas were stripped, and whipped and left stranded.
The jailor put them in stocks, and locked the heavy door.
They prayed and sang hymns, but had no time for an encore.
Because God shook the earth and broke all the locks,
unlatched all the doors, and tore open the stocks.
The jailer exclaimed, “My prisoners are gone!
They’ll say it’s my fault, and I’ll be killed at dawn!”
On to his sword the jailer started to fall.
“We’re all still here!” He heard Paul and Silas call.
The jailor turned, “Your God has helped you, I have surmised.
Come with me, because I too want to be baptized.”
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(Acts 16:16-40)
BALAAM TRIES TO CURSE ISRAEL
King Balak hired wizard Balaam to curse Israel.
He left to do the deed, but his donkey did rebel.
The donkey saw the Lord’s angel standing with a sword.
And to go around, left the road with Balaam on board.
Balaam beat his faithful donkey for leaving the road.
When he did it again, Balaam wanted to explode!
When the Lord’s angel blocked the road a third time,
the way Balaam beat his donkey was a crime!
The Lord gave the donkey speech, and he started to bray.
“Why do you beat me? Three times I saved your life today!”
When Balaam saw the angel blocking his path,
he said, “Lord, what have I done to earn your wrath?”
“You go to curse my people Israel,” the Lord said.
“You will bless them and not curse, or I will stop you dead.”
Balaam liked being alive, so he blessed Israel,
once, twice, thrice, even four times, and gladly said, “Farewell!”
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(Numbers 22:1-24:25)
JESUS AND THE MAD-MAN
A fierce mad-man lived naked in a cemetery,
but when Jesus walked through he didn’t think it scary.
Named “Legion,” no rope or chain could hold the mad-man’s strength.
He howled and yowled across the cemetery’s wide length.
He saw Jesus and ran toward him full bore,
screaming, “Go away, you! Trouble me no more!”
Most people would run, or just drop dead of fright;
but Jesus stood still, even in the dark of night.
“Come out of him, unclean spirits!” Jesus commanded.
They obeyed, and on a pig-herd the spirits landed.
The unhappy hogs turned from Jesus at a hard run,
and into the sea they dove because Jesus had won.
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(Mark 5:1-20)
JESUS AND THE STORM ON THE LAKE
It was a dark and stormy night, that I’ll guarantee,
when Jesus’ disciples sailed the Sea of Galilee.
The wind roared and the waves crashed against their boat.
They began to sink, and so they took a vote;
“Jesus needs his sleep, but we need him awake!
Call him now, or we’ll all drown before day-break!”
So they awakened Jesus’ ending his restful snooze.
“Where’s your faith?” he asked. “Friends, this is all part of the cruise.”
But he saw their fear, so he turned and said, “Lay down, waves!
Quiet, wind!” Waves and wind calmed, for they knew Jesus saves.
So hang your toes over edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(Luke 8:22-25)
JESUS AND JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER
Jairus’ sweet daughter laid down upon her bed.
She was so very sick, that soon she was dead.
People began loudly wailing and weeping.
“Why do you cry?” Jesus asked. “She is only sleeping.”
The people laughed at Jesus, so he sent them outside.
“Trust me,” he told them, “and she will open her eyes wide.”
Jesus took the girl’s hand and said, “Get up, little one.”
She stood up and walked. A new life for her had begun!
“She’s hungry,” Jesus announced. “Get her something to eat.”
Amazed, they all said, “Even death, Jesus can defeat!”
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
(Mark 5:21-24 and 5:35-43)
CONCLUSION
God closes lions’ jaws tight, knocks giants out cold,
and defeats iron chariots a thousand-fold.
God keeps fire from burning, and makes the earth quake,
and causes wizards their evil to forsake.
In Jesus, God calms man-men, and even wind and waves,
and brings the dead back to life, keeping them from their graves.
So hang you toes over edge God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
Let the night monsters come! Give them all a shout!
Hoot and holler! Dare those demons to come out!
Stick your toes way out over the edge, and fingers too!
Wiggle them, and say, “Peek-a-boo” and “Toodle-de-do!”
Jump to the floor. Run around on your bare feet!
Watch those dopey old monsters quickly retreat!
They are no match for our loving and powerful God.
One word from our Father, sends them back under the sod.
So hang your toes over the edge, God’s love protects you!
No monster can cause you harm, because God’s love is true!
This story was published in part by Concordia Publishing House. The full text of the story is published above.
Copyright 2020. Robert D. Ingram, 32746 Jourden Rd., Albany, Ohio 45710 (dr.bobingram@gmail.com). Used by permission.
