Reading to My Grandsons

I have as the wallpaper on my phone a picture that Kim took last week. It’s a picture of me sitting on a bed and reading to Jesse and Jack, two of my grandsons. They are each holding a stuffed animal that we keep for them at our house. And they are looking intently at the pictures in the book. Most of all, they are listening intently to the words I am reading them and to the progression of the story.  

As you probably know, there is nothing more beneficial to a child than being read to. Reading to children expands their vocabulary, helps them associate spoken words with written words, which in turn prepares them to learn how to read.  Reading to children brings with it all kinds of cognitive benefits that helps them succeed in their latter academic endeavors, as well as stimulates their creative juices. Best of all, reading to a child creates a bond between the child and their parent—or in this case, their grandparent. That’s why I love reading to my grandsons. 

One thing that always amazes me, is how kids love to have the same books and stories read to them over and over again. Many times, when I’m done reading a book to Jesse or Jack the first thing out of their mouths is “Read it again, grandpa!” A teenager or an adult would never say that. For them, once the story is done, it’s done. In fact, I own lots of books that I’ve read once and only once. But my grandsons have books that they want to hear read over and over and over again. 

Well, I can think of one book that we all need to read over and over and over again: the Bible. It’s the one book, with all of its stories and instructions and words of wisdom, of which God’s people never tire. It’s one book to which we naturally return again and again. After all, we believe it’s God’s word to us. 

The psalmist wrote, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103 - NIV) and “May my tongue sing of your word,  for all your commands are righteous….” (Psalm 119:172)  The writer to the Hebrews wrote, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) 

The lyrics of one old hymn expresses it this way: 

Sing them over again to me, Wonderful words of life

Let me more of their beauty see, Wonderful words of life

Words of life and beauty, Teach me faith and duty

Beautiful words, wonderful words, Wonderful words of life

Beautiful words, wonderful words, Wonderful words of life (Philip P. Bliss)

When it comes to God’s word, the Bible, we ought to be like my grandsons are with their favorite books, “Read it again!” After all, there is no book in the world that is more life-giving, imparts more wisdom, and is more nourishing to our souls than the Bible. Most of all, it is the Bible that reveals to us that we have a God of heaven and earth who loves us, offers us salvation through his Son, and invites us to come to him as our Father. 

If you haven’t done so yet today, open up your Bible and read it again! 

Have a great day! 

- Pastor Tim Harris