Dear Children,
Grandma and I would like to tell you all about our camping trip this past summer. We usually camp in the same place every year because we like the lake, the swimming is good, and there are lots of fish to catch!
One of our great grandchildren, named Ethan, was also camping nearby with his family. Nathan is four years old, and he loves fishing and catching butterflies. He also catches dragonflies. He puts them in a big cage and then lets them go and they fly away.
One day he was going fishing with us and he was all excited! First, he put his life jacket on, and then he brought his fishing pole, his landing net and his bait. We put it all into the boat and away we went.
Yes, we caught nine or ten fish, but we only kept four since six were too small to keep. Ethan was learning that we must obey the law that says if the fish are too small, we must not harm them, take them off the hook carefully, and release them back into the lake.
When we arrived back at the dock, it was time to clean the big fish we kept. Ethan asked me, “Great Grampa, can I help you clean these fish?”
I answered, “Sure, I would be happy to have you help me clean these fish. You can pump the water for me when it’s time to wash off the scales.” I picked him up and let him stand beside me so that he could see what I was doing. He was watching very closely. Then he asked a very important question.
“Great Grampa, is the fish dead?”
I answered, “Yes, Ethan, the fish is dead.”
He thought for a moment and then asked another question. “Great Grampa, is the fish in heaven?”
You see, dear children, Ethan has been taught many verses from the Holy Bible by his parents and Sunday school teacher and learned that there is a real heaven and a real hell. He was worried about this fish because it was dead, and he wanted to know where its soul went. So I very carefully explained to Ethan that this fish was neither in heaven nor in hell because God did not give it a soul that lives forever, like you and I have. Genesis 2:77And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) tells us that God made people very special with a living soul: “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
I said to Ethan, “Have you ever watched Great Gramma make bread?” He answered, “Yes.” I went on, “So you have seen Great Gramma put the bread into pans, then into the oven to bake, then bring the bread out of the oven and set it on the counter to cool off. Then she takes a knife and cuts a nice big slice for you to eat. Did you eat it?”
“Yes I did, and it’s really good!”
“Yes, Ethan, and Great Grampa loves fresh bread just like you do! You see, Ethan, we read in the Bible in Genesis chapter 1 and verses 20, 21, 22 and 23 that God made the fish, the birds and every living creature that moves. He told them to be fruitful and multiply on the earth and fill the waters in the sea, and it was so. Just exactly as God had said. Like Great Gramma making the bread and cookies and cakes for us to eat, so God made the fish in the ocean, the lakes and the rivers for us to eat!”
Ethan was very happy to hear why God made all these fish. And, yes, he sure helped us eat them!
Gramma and I thought about this Sunday school chorus. Maybe you can sing it too.
Who did make the fish that swim?
Flowers that bloom?
Birds that fly?
Who did make both you and I?
It’s God in heaven above.
Lots of love,
Gramma and Grampa