June 2020
"…love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders." Deuteronomy 6:5-8 (New Living Translation)
Share your faith journey with your children.
The Israelites who originally heard Deuteronomy 6:5-8 worked to live its principles into their everyday lives. In that time, the Israelites would write passages from Exodus and Deuteronomy on paper, tuck their writings into a small leather box (called a phylactery), and then strap it to their wrist or their forehead. Devout Jews all around the world still wear these tiny boxes as constant reminders of all that God has done for them. And to also remember everything that they valued. While phylacteries may sound strange to us, we actually do the same thing:
We carry our digital devices everywhere we go.
Smartphones and tablets are our always-on-lifeline connections to the people in our lives. Wearables like fitness trackers and smartwatches constantly update us with the things we’ve told them are important to us. For us adults, these conveniences still feel new. But for their entire lives, our children have been able to carry the Internet with them wherever they go.
Be intentional in how you use technology.
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6 (English Standard Version)
As important as digital media have become to us, they will play an even larger role in the lives of our children. Our partners at Scripture Union in the U.K. have been helping children engage with God and with the Bible for 150 years. That’s why Scripture Union developed the Bible-focused Guardians of Ancora game app, and why it offers this Devotional Plan for families through the Bible App for Kids.
Here’s Scripture Union's advice to parents about how we can fulfill God’s calling in our families:
"Most of what our kids learn from us comes through the examples they see in how we live our lives. If you’re making your spiritual life a priority, you’ll install apps that help you read, study, listen to, reflect on, and share the Bible. But not all the apps that you like are designed for children. Yes, let your kids see you using technology to engage your faith…but also, equip them to make wise decisions about how they will use technology. Just as you seek out music and movies that are age-appropriate for them, help them find the tools they need to draw closer to God."
The Bible App for Kids is a completely free Bible experience designed just for children. Featuring delightful animations for 41 Bible stories — and available in 15 languages — this app from YouVersion and OneHope has already been installed on more than 11 million Apple, Android, and Kindle devices all over the world. If you don’t have the Bible App for Kids, click here to get it now: BibleAppforKids.