Teaching the Bible to your children

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NLT)

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.  Repeat them again and again 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. 

Deuteronomy means “second law” and the book of Deuteronomy is a review of the laws of God already presented in the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.  For example, the Ten Commandments are given in Exodus 20 and repeated in Deuteronomy 5.  If you didn’t know or hadn’t noticed already, the Bible is full of repetitive truth as God knows His creation where we must be repeatedly reminded of His commandments and truths.

Keep in mind that this is God speaking.  He says, “You MUST (not should) commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today”.  So many people, including Christian people, do not pay attention to what God says.  He wants His Word on your heart; that is, not only to know it, but also to believe it and practice it.  You claim that you love Jesus?  How do you prove it?  Jesus said in John 14:23---“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word…..”

How do you get God’s word into your heart?  It must be taught.  It must be taught to you by someone and in some way and then, you, in turn, must teach it to your children.  In verse 7 Moses writes that parents must commit their lives to obey God’s commandments and then repeat them again and again to their children.  How else will your children learn the Bible?  Not in schools and maybe not in all churches.  The best place for biblical teaching to occur is by parents in the home and whenever the family is together. 

The Hebrew word used here for talking or teaching means to sharpen.  Biblical teaching must be instructed sharply.  It cannot be taught half-heartedly plus children can tell if your heart really isn’t interested in teaching them.  There are four situations given where and when you are to talk about God’s Word to your children---(1) when you are at home—do you talk about God during meals?  (2) When you are on the road—do you talk about God in the car?  While on vacation? (3) When you are going to bed—do you have bedtime conversations about God? (4) When you are getting up—do you have any kind of conversation early in the morning?

Does anyone come close to meeting one of these situations, much less four, to talk to your children about God and His Word?  Statistically, in an average week, parents spend less than 70 minutes in focused conversation with our children.  There doesn’t seem to be much time at all allocated to conversation about God in the home and lives of a typical family these days.

Now that you have carefully read these verses and this brief message, what must you do?  How might your family interactive dynamic be changed if you are not already reading and discussing the word of God together?  If you don’t feel qualified or comfortable in starting Bible teaching in your home and elsewhere, there are plenty of family-oriented Bible story and study guides at any Bible bookstore.  Do a Google word search for family Bible study and you will find all kinds of help.  Just do something, don’t ignore these clear and firm commandments from God Himself.