Disciples in the making

Last night, Zach and I decided to read the Bible together this summer.  I let him choose where we'd start, and he picked John.  (He has been obsessed with reading John lately!)  There are 21 chapters in John, so I figured we could tackle one a night and it would take three weeks.  As I got started reading though, Zach didn't want to put it down.  We read through chapter 3.  (And he was begging me to keep reading when I put it away.)  At this rate, it will take us a week.

These are stories and lessons that I've read 100 times, but it is very exciting to explain them to my hungry little 7 1/2 year old.  He gets this excited look on his face - like it's his birthday or Christmas morning - or when he's doing challenging math!  Zachary loves God's word as much as he loves math.  That's saying something!

It has been so exciting to watch Zach grow in his faith.  It seems like we spent forever camped out on the story of "the guys in the fire".  We read about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego every day for at least a year when he was three or four.  And Zachary gave a Bible to his preschool class for Christmas when he was five, and often wanted to buy Bibles for friends that he didn't think had one.

Sharing God's word with our children has been an immeasurable joy.

I love that John repeatedly mentions disciples - both Jesus' and John's disciples.  It hits home the message that more experienced people are meant to train less experienced people.  That those who know God are meant to tell others about him.  It demonstrates just what a willing and available teacher Jesus was...the sort we ought to mimic.  This goes hand-in-hand with Thursday's VBS memory verse, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."  Matthew 28:19-20

At a glace, this 1,208 page book with big words and deep meaning can feel overwhelming for an adult to read, let alone a child.  But it's words are so precious, so life-giving, so applicable to everyday life...  This book is a gift for every man, woman and child.  I am abundantly blessed to get to share it with my children.  I cannot wait to see what John chapter 4 has in store for us today.