Teaching our children the Bible can be challenging in today’s busy world. Work schedules, long commutes, television, Internet, video games, iPhones, all compete for our time. But teach them we must. Children are a gift from the Lord, and if we wish to love our children as God would have us love them, then we must do it. Let me share three ways that we can teach our children about God.
Natural Revelation describes how God has revealed Himself through creation. Did you know that whenever we step outside, night or day, we are entering God’s classroom? Backyard, city park, or in a nearby forest or beach, it doesn’t matter; God’s fingerprints are visible everywhere.
In the opening verses of Psalm 19 we see that God has revealed quite a bit about Himself through His creation.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the sky displays his handiwork.
Day after day it speaks out;
night after night it reveals his greatness.
In Romans 1:20, the Apostle Paul agrees:
For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made.
God’s awesome power is revealed in the size of the universe, the myriad stars, the waves of the sea, the crash of thunder and lightning. God’s kindness is manifested in giving us rain and fields to grow food. Who can look at a puppy and not see the great and tender heart of our Creator? Who hasn’t been in awe at the spectrum of colors in a sunset, or marveled at a rainbow arcing over a rain-soaked sky? Yes, indeed, the heavens declare the glory of God’s glory!
I love the outdoors. I love walking through the woods with my binoculars, spotting a western tanager or lazuli bunting. Or pausing beside a stream to hear to the gurgling rush of water.
God made these for our pleasure. They teach us about Himself, if we will look, and listen.
A great way to teach young ones about God is to get them out of the house, away from video games and television, and take them outdoors into His classroom. When you come upon a beautiful flower, or mountain vista, say, “God made this. Isn’t He a big and powerful God?” When you see a colorful bird or butterfly, ask them, “Why do you think God made such beautiful creatures?”
Each pause to observe God’s handiwork can be a teaching moment; each teaching moment can awaken a sense of wonder in a child’s heart. Too often we don’t take time to stop and smell the roses. We should, and we should take our children with us.
Special Revelation describes God’s written word of Himself to us, His plan of salvation, His Son Jesus. It describes what pleases God, His will for our lives, how we ought to train up our children. We must daily teach our children what the Bible says about God.
These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up (Deut 6:6-7).
God tells Moses that parents should be proactive in teaching their children about Himself. When? When we are in our homes, as we walk along the path, as we go to bed, as we wake in the morning. We are to teach them throughout the day.
If we leave the teaching of our children to others then it will be others who will mold their lives, for good or for ill. Some parents may say, but I take my child to Sunday School each week. That’s commendable, but your Sunday School teacher has your child for one hour. There are 167 more hours in the week. Who will teach them if their parents don’t?
Finally, our lives and lifestyles speak volumes to our children. Regardless of what we say or teach, our daily lives are powerful testimonies of who we are and what we believe. If we tell our children that it is wrong to lie, then we must not lie. If we tell them to love God with all of their hearts, mind and strength, then our lives should reflect such teaching. Our children won’t believe us otherwise.
You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone, revealing that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God. (Corinthians 3:2-3).
We are living epistles to our children. If our lives are consistent with what we teach they will believe us. If we model Christ’s character they will see Jesus in our lives. This is not to suggest we live sinless lives, but lives that are filled with humility and grace. Our children will see your light and be drawn to Christ because of it. As they mature into adulthood our words will remain a treasure in their hearts that will bless them throughout their lives. So then let us teach our children through the world that God has made, through His special word to us, and through the godly example of our lives.
Originally posted May 6, 2014
Michael Joens
Author