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Happy Read Across America Day! I’m excited to go read to several elementary school classes today. My costume and books are ready to go and I’ve picked out the travel mug for my throat-coat tea.
As much as I love reading to kids, it’s even better when they discover a love of reading themselves. The best ever is when they discover the joy, challenge, and blessing of reading Scripture.
In honor of Read Across America Day, here some of my recommendations of books of the Bible to begin reading through with your kids.
John (or really any of the gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John)
Don’t let the first part of John’s gospel scare you away. Just keep reading. John’s account of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection focuses on what it all meant. Why was all of this so important? Read and find out!
Judges. Yes, Judges.
Boys especially love this Old Testament book. There are heroes, heroines, spies, assassins, battles, trickery, riddles, and so much more!
PARENTS, please note that the book of Judges is not rated G. Parts are PG, parts are PG-13, and some might even be rated R if your youngster has a vivid imagination. You know your kids. You know what they watch. You know how much innuendo they pick up. It’s ultimately your call.
In the book of Judges, the same cycle is repeated over and over.
- The people stop following the Lord God Almighty.
- God removes His hand of protection and another group of people make the lives of the Israelites miserable.
- God’s people turn back to Him and ask for forgiveness.
- God forgives them and sends a judge to drive out the oppressing nation.
- The people follow God for a while.
- Then the cycle starts all over again.
The book of Judges teaches us that sin and its consequences are real. It also teaches that God will forgive us if we turn to Him, confess our sin, and turn to live for Him.
Proverbs
This book of wisdom has 31 chapters. Many families read one chapter a day together.
Once again, there are some more mature themes in Proverbs. Still, it may go over your kids heads or not be fully understood at this point in their lives. You know your kids. It’s your call.
Psalms
Psalms is the songbook of the Bible. This wonderful Hebrew poetry expresses a wide range of emotion, sometimes crying out to God and praising Him at the same time.
Many Psalms can be turned into additional prayers, songs, or projects.
- Why not pick a Psalm to read (like Psalm 98), then set it to music or dance?
- You could also make a painting or collage which show in picture form what the Psalm says (like Psalm 119:9-16).
- You could go out in nature or under the stars to read a Psalm about nature (like Psalm 96).
- The ideas are endless!
Other books
The Bible is God’s holy Word. As such we and our children should make reading it a priority.
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)
Why not begin today on Read Across America Day? Happy reading!
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