I was thinking today about reading to my kids. That is something I really miss now that they are older. Because I wasn't raised in a Christian home, I didn't hear many stories from the Bible until I began reading them to my own children.
I remember starting with chunky board books with stories about Noah and the Ark, and Daniel and Lion's Den, David and Goliath, and the Christmas and Easter stories.
Next, the kids received their first Bibles with large letters and lots of pictures.
Slowly they outgrew the need for pictures and large print and they began to read out of their student bibles with special sections for application.
I think reading the Bible stories with my children as they were growing up impacted my understanding and trust in God as much as it did for them.
As I revisit the memory of reading Bible stories to my kids, I see the wisdom of God's words in a whole new light. I always thought Deuteronomy 11:18-19 was written for the children's benefit, but now I realize that God admonishing me to "teach His word to my children....when I am at home and on the road...when I am going to bed and getting up" was every bit as much for my benefit as it was for theirs.
I look forward to the day when I will be able to read some of the same stories to grandchildren and fully anticipate, that when I do, he will use the familiar words to teach me something new.
So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
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