“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:4–9; all Scripture citations from the English Standard Version unless otherwise indicated).

It is not enough to know that the Bible is the Word of God. God gave us His Word so that we could know Him, His will, and how to follow His directions for our lives.

The above passage begins with a verse known as the “shema,” from the Hebrew word for “listen” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Some people call it the “statement of faith” of Judaism, the key verse of their faith. A few websites that call it “the central prayer in the Jewish prayer book” or the most important prayer in Judaism. Jesus referred to the very next verse (Deuteronomy 6:5) as the greatest commandment:

“And one of the scribes … asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these’” (Mark 12:28–31).

Since both Jewish tradition and Jesus Himself consider these verses to be so important, we should take heed to the rest of this exhortation. How can a child of God follow the teachings of Jesus? By knowing God’s Word. To know and follow God’s will for our lives, we must store His Word in our hearts. We also must pass it on to future generations.

We need to read the Bible every day. We should read it alone. We should also teach it to our children.

To grow in your faith, you should read the Bible throughout the week. It is not enough to simply hear the Scripture readings in church on Sunday morning. We need daily reminders of all that He has done for us and all He wants us to know. Also, our children need to hear the Bible throughout the week. The Bible never mentions Sunday school, children’s church, or a children’s sermon, because God commanded parents to teach their children.

Read the Bible every day. Find a good Bible reading plan that will provide a passage for every day. I follow the Daily Office readings from the Book of Common Prayer. Many students of Scripture prefer to follow one of several “through the Bible in one year” plans. The devotional guide, Our Daily Bread, provides readings from the Old and New Testament every day to help you read the entire Bible within one year. It also provides a shorter reading with comments related to the passage.

Train your children in the Word of God whenever you can. Young children (up to seven years of age) learn most from stories. Read Bible stories and explain what they mean to them. As a child gets older, you can read other books of the Bible, such as the New Testament letters, with them and discuss the passage. Teenagers should be encouraged to read on their own, perhaps following a devotional guide or other reading plan.

Find teachable moments with your children. Deuteronomy 6:7 says that we should “talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Discuss Bible passages that relate to things they learned in school or situations they or their friends are facing. Some families do a brief Bible study or prayer time while they eat dinner. See what works for your family.

Finally, it is helpful to keep visual reminders about God’s Word and Christian truths around you. My wife will sometimes write a Bible verse on an index card and tape it to the bathroom mirror. That makes it certain that we will see that verse every day. This is especially helpful when the verse speaks about an issue that is important to you at this time in your life. We also have crosses hanging on a few walls in our apartment, reminding us of Christ’s sacrifice for us and His perpetual presence in our lives.

If we believe that the Bible is the Word of God, we will not reserve it for one day of the week. Jesus said, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20), not “I am with you one day per week” or “I am with you only when you go to church.” He wants to speak to us every day. He wants us to share His good news with everybody—especially our own families. Seek His Word daily.

Copyright © 2019 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.