Thursday, November 03, 2005

Daddy, I want to read the real Bible tonight.

This was what my oldest son began saying to us about two weeks ago. (Right before his fifth birthday.) We have been using various Children’s Story Bibles including the very helpful Big Picture Story Bible. But he always asked why some stories were left out of these Bibles. We would explain that God’s Word is really big and his kids Bibles were make to help younger children. While we often used my Bible for family devotions, we would use the story Bibles for bedtime reading.

To give a little background, my son is not a typical five-year old. We have tried to be faithful in teaching him God’s Word. But he continues to amaze me at his depth of understanding. I often joke that he was a better theologian at four then I was at twenty. I can only attribute this to God’s blessing. Question after question he challenges me to think clearly about God in ways that don’t really fit with developmental psychology. “Dad, I love God because he is a person and he is everything. Sin is only a power, its nothing compared to God.” Then sometimes he will be playing and I hear him making up little kid songs about Jesus wiping out sin. He seams to display a genuine love for the Bible as well. One day while he was playing, he stopped and declared, “I love the Bible because it really is God’s Word. It really is the best book.” Lately he has been saying, “I really want to read all the Bible, I don’t want to miss any of what God says.” His latest has been asking to read the real Bible only. He will sit in his bed and listen and watch me as I read aloud. Sometimes up to two chapters. We have been stopping because I get tired. He has not yet asked me to stop. He will interrupt me and ask for word definitions or ask me to clarify what something means. But overall he is content to simply hear the Word read.

Please understand that I am not just bragging on my kids. I believe that God brings kids along at differing times. I just want to encourage you to stay faithful. Pray for your children, love God’s Word yourself, make it your treasure and then share it like you would share all good things with your children. I have been asking God to smile on my son since he was born. This reminds me of 3 John verse four, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Will The Next Generation Treasure Christ?

1 comment:

Shawn said...

PRAISE GOD!!! Oh how exciting