photo by rintakumpu
Many people treat the Bible as a sacred book. In some homes it’s placed in a glass display case and given a place of great honor. Children are scolded if they’re a little too rough with setting it down, or someone sets a drink on it. It’s treated with kid gloves and great reverence.
Except that it’s just a book. So much paper, cardboard and ink. Before Gutenberg invented the press, people memorized the Word. God’s truths inside the Bible are sacred, but the book they’re printed in is just a book.
So, for your children who are able to read give them a pen or pencil and, the next time you hold devotions this week, show them how to highlight important verses. You can get a bit creative with this which will lend itself to the overall interest. They can underline a verse, circle a word, box in a phrase. Let them scrawl notes along the margins. Use different colored pens to differentiate meanings.
The printed Word of God is a tool to use to learn about the One who saved us. Romans 15:4 says, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Use the Bible. Don’t just read it, ingest it. Teach your children that using a pen in their Bible isn’t sacrilegious.
This Thursday I’ll have a devotional idea that involves using different colored pens. It might be a cool idea for your next study.
Homework: 1. Use pens this week to underline important or meaningful passages or verses.
2. Look to change your routine a little bit if attention is wandering.
3. Continue assessing your priorities to make sure you're not losing footing with your family devotions.
Do me a favor? GodSurf, Digg or Stumble this article if you think it worthy. Just click on any of the links below - it won’t take but a moment. Your doing so may help other parents find much needed information for drawing their children closer to God.
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5 comments:
Awesome reading this morning. Thank you so much for your devotion to lead others and teach the Word of God, Deb!
- Sue
Deb,
I couldn't agree more. Personally, I have trouble learning anything if I can't take notes. I write in my Bibles more than in any other book, because there's more to learn. In fact, I plan to get another New Living Translation if I can find one with thicker pages. Right now, this is my favorite study translation, but the pages of my copy are so thin that notes bleed through. So I make notes in my KJV or write them in a notesbook when I read the NLT.
Every child should have his or her own copy of the Bible as soon as they're old enough to handle a book, and as soon as they can read, they should be taught how to study the Bible using memorization, highlighting, notes in the margin, whatever it takes. This is also useful practice for all their studies in the future.
Diane L. Harris
http://www.steppingintothelight.net
Thanks for your kind words Sue. I pray for a revival among parents to lead their children to Christ.
And Diane, I know what you mean about needing a Bible with thicker pages to be able to accomodate the notes. I finally had to retire the Bible my husband gave me with my name engraved on it because it's falling apart! But that's a good problem to have, I think. That everyone would read their Bible like that!
Thanks for your comments.
I love it, Deb! Think of the treasure that it would be to pass down those marked up Bibles from generation to generation. I think they would be even more telling than personal journals because they are the contact point where we meet God in His Word. How cool to document the journey!
Blessings,
Norma
PS... I tried to Digg you, but it kept giving me fits and I had to stop to go to an appointment.
Norma,
I never thought of it that way. Great idea! I can never give up my old Bibles for sentimental reasons. Now I can just pass them along down the line!
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