Contemplative Bible Reading

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Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (New International Version)

6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

A recent series of sermons has dealt with parents raising children. This is one of the passages that caught my attention this morning.

impress them on your children

Let’s look at the words around this phrase. First, the passage is talking about these commandments. In this context, the commandments are the old law – the ten commandments and the other laws.

Can we extend these commandments to the New Testament? People can debate that. For now, let’s go with the idea that we can impress the Bible as we have it on our children.

Talk about them when…

This is a wonderful example of great writing. Instead of

Talk about them at least five hours a week. Instruct them from 8-9 AM each weekday and noon to 1PM on weekends…

We are given when you sit, when you walk, when you go to bed, when you wake… We are encouraged to have God’s word with us and our children as we live our lives. We are encouraged to do this in plain, simple, relevent language.

Perhaps that is how we are to impress them on our children. Use plain, simple, relavent, everyday language. Look for the teachable moment. When the child’s mind opens, make God’s word available to fill the desire.