Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - July/82

Contributor - Mrs. Sandy Hekhuis

Title - Family Devotions

Topic - Devotions

We have been asked to submit an article sharing some of the devotional materials which we have personally used in our home. We hope that in doing so, others might also benefit. All would agree that children at a young age should be helped to discover the value of looking into the Word of God and of making applications from it to their lives. However, for optimum benefits; such devotional times should be geared to the youngster's level of understanding and comprehension. A devotional material which is available to every child who attends Sunday School is his class paper. Each paper includes excellent material. Educators tell us that repetition is valuable to learning, so a child will better understand the concepts taught in Sunday School if re-emphasized at home. The children also have opportunities to actively participate. They enjoy telling the story, reiterating what they have learned in class. Each paper lists a memory verse which provides a good spiritual exercise for young and old alike.

For the pre-schooler, Bible Stories for Little People (paper back in four volumes), is excellent. The books are written by Ruth Johnson Jay and published by Back to the Bible. Each story is short, has an illustration, an easy to learn verse, and three simple questions entitled, "Do You Remember?". The print is a good size for beginning readers.

Recently we have been using The Children's Bible, published by Golden Press. The pictures are beautiful, and our children often glance through the book to look at the pictures. Here also the reading sections are short, concise and written in simple language. We feel that it is nice for children to do some of the devotional reading. It gives them feelings of real importance.

We have used (Ken) Taylor's Bible Story Book. It provides questions at the end and lovely illustrations. We find a disadvantage is that several topics not completely related are listed under one heading. This can be confusing to children. For example, a two-page story is entitled, "One Leper Says Thank You", but only the last three paragraphs are about the ten lepers.

A fine children's Bible, although not as nicely illustrated, is The Child's Story Bible by Catherine F. Vos. The United States Union of Christian Schools recommends this book to all parents and teachers. The book sometimes relates an Old Testament story or idea to its New Testament counter-part, and also provides a personal application. It has a good children's Bible dictionary at the end.

An enticement for helping children develop personal devotions is The Picture Bible, published by David C. Cook. Children love pictures accompanied by words as evidenced by the popularity of newspaper comic strips and comic books. This beautifully bound book with its comic strip format is eye-catching to youngsters.

A small book entitled Good Morning, Lord by Dena Korkfer, is a lovely book applying Biblical truths to the lives of young children. The publisher is the Baker Book House of Grand Rapids. Fifty-four devotions are included in the book. Here I include an example:

Little Things

Little drops of water

Little grains of sand

Make the mighty ocean and the pleasant land.

Little deeds of kindness

Little words of love

Help to make earth happy

Like the heavens above.

Why is it that when we think about growing up, we always want to be some great person who has done something that everyone talks about? We like to picture ourselves getting honour from the whole world for something we have done, which no one else has ever done. We think that the only great people are those who get their names in the paper or who are seen on television. Do you know that for every one person who is honoured for something great he has done, there are probably thousands who are rated great with Jesus? Jesus is more interested in the little things we do each day, than the one great thing He may allow us to do for Him someday. Jesus told His people again and again that if they were not willing to do the little things for Him, they would never be ready to do great things for Him. Is Jesus pleased with the little things you do? "I am aware of all your good deeds, your kindness to the poor, your gifts and service to them; also I know your love and patience, . . " (Rev. 2:18, 19 Living Bible).

While this book is called Devotions for Children, there is an inspiration for persons of all ages.

An enjoyable little book for children is entitled, Little Folded Hands, a book of prayers for children by Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, Missouri. It has a section of morning prayers, evening prayers, table prayers (before and after meals), prayers for sickness, school, and church, general prayers, and birthday prayers, such as this one:

Few are my candles, few my years;

So let my promise be

That all the years that I may live

I'll love and worship Thee. Amen.

Also there are prayers for missions, and one final prayer entitled, "A Prayer for You" (for adults too):

May you live to know and fear God,

Trust and love Him all your days,

Then go dwell forever near Him,

See His face and sing His praise.

Amen.

The Arch Story Books also by Concordia make good devotional reading. The Bible stories are presented in rhyme and include practical applications. Aids for parents are given at the end of each book. The authors recommend a combination of reading the Scriptures related to the story, and then reading the story in e. Reading is easy so that children can read the book for themselves.

Beka Publishing Co. of Pensacola, Florida has ABC Scripture Memory Verse Cards which serve a dual purpose of both inspiration and education. The cards are different colours and the capital and lower case letters for each letter of the alphabet are printed along with a Bible verse beginning with that letter. Children enjoy pulling out a card and reading it aloud, and younger children can become familiar with their colours and letters.

Lastly, we mention the Bill Gothard Character Sketches books. These are two large volumes relating sketches from the pages of Scripture with character illustrations from the world of nature. The books' dedication says a lot about them: "Dedicated to the vision of God raising up a host of men, committed to His standards and their responsibility to build character and to meet the basic needs of each one in their families".

The purpose is to place into the hands of fathers basic concepts of Scripture and interesting facts of nature which his family has not heard. These books are designed to last a lifetime and there is information in them to last long too. A characteristic listed is that of courage, defined as following difficult instructions in the face of danger. Naaman is used as a Scripture example. He was a great dignitary who was humbled by washing in a filthy river, but because he was willing to follow difficult instructions, which seemed contradictory to common sense, he was healed. The wood duck is the example from nature which is used. The female exhibits great courage in scouting the land for enemies that might endanger her young on their way to the brood pond (a suitable site for the rearing of her young). The young ducklings journey to the brood pond initiates them into a world of potential danger, but the mother remains in close communication with them, giving guidance and instruction.

Aids are important in helping to develop the devotional life of children, but of greater importance is the fact that they sense how valuable Bible reading, prayer and Scripture memorization are to us, and that it is also vital for them in order to live the blessed, joyful life their parents and God so desire for them.

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