“And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Matthew 7:28, 29)
Having grandchildren around us is such a wonderful privilege! Having the opportunities to help bring them up “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” is such a privilege … such a responsibility! To be engaged in the process of helping their parents teach the “little ones” how to become “bigger and better ones’ … a work that never stops as long as we are able to breathe.
Part of this beautiful and challenging process involves spending time in God’s Word with them! Reading books to our little ones is so rich with pleasure and watching their excitement and their concentration noticing every detail on the page is rewarding … to them and to us.
It is no secret how much time, effort, affection and attention our Savior, Jesus Christ, devoted to the children. Should it be any different with us today? I think not! But the beauty of reading Bible stories … they are not myths or make-believe stories … they are stories detailing events and characters that walked on this earth. So much effort is being given by a secular-minded world whose allegiance is to Satan to discredit or diminish the Word of God… that the only correct countermeasure is helping to establish faith, trust, love and obedience to the God of Heaven!
One of the byproducts of reading from God’s Book is that we, the reader, are reminded, perhaps even re-introduced to the greatness of our God … to His magnanimous love and His undiminished power!
It is when we spend time reading with our children and grandchildren that we are invited once more to take in the beauty of a relationship with Him.
- We are reminded of God’s grace extended to Noah and his family that the world chose not to heed and of the beauty of a rainbow to remind us of God’s promise!
- Moses really did perform the ten plagues and part the Red Sea under the guidance and direction of God as he led the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage!
- David really did approach the giant Goliath with five smooth stones down in the Valley and slew him by reason of his faith and trust that God would be with him!
So many stories to read and talk about … all of them true! And in the reading, telling and illustrating of these stories we are invited once more to taste His goodness, greatness and power!
Jesus reminded those who were His disciples on more than one occasion of this truth … regardless of age, expanse of one’s knowledge, the mess of our lives we often make of our lives … that with humility of heart … keen and ongoing wonder … we cannot just survive in this life … we can live it with purpose and overcome it!
The gospel is really a simple story of God’s love for us and of His willingness to do all that He can to commit our own lives to believing and obeying His will so that we might by His grace be able to spend eternity with Him!
Mommy, Daddy, Papa Bear, Hunny, Aunt, Uncle… pick up a book, sit down, read; and when you do, don’t forget to Tell Them The Story of Jesus and His love!
“You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah” (Psalm 32:7)
Bill Fairchild, Jr.
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