What is one gift you could give the students in your classroom this coming year? Something that would have a greater impact than creative activities, snacks, songs, lesson visuals, or games? In his recent article, “The One Must-Read This Year,” John Piper calls us to renew and increase our daily wonder over this truth:
All Scripture is breathed out by God. (2 Timothy 3:16)
No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21)
Pause. Let this sink in. There is a book that is unlike every other book, because it is the very word of God. You have this book. Or you have access to it. Many do not. But if you are reading this, you do. It is astonishing. Absolutely astonishing. You can hold in your hand a book whose words are the very words of God. God! Do you hear this? Really hear it?
There are no emotions of thankfulness or wonder or adoration that come close to what we ought to feel because of this book. This is why the psalmist cries out in desperation: “Incline my heart to your testimonies” (Psalm 119:36)—because our hearts cannot delight in this book as we ought, without omnipotent help from God. The book is so great, we need great help to see it and savor it for what it is. Let this sink in. God gave us a book of complete truthfulness about himself, and his saving work, and his will for us. This alone is enough to make a wise person read it and savor it deeply every day.
(by John Piper, ©2015 Desiring God Foundation, desiringGod.org)
As teachers, I wonder how this daily amazement and adoration of the Word might transform our teaching. Children can sense when something is really important to you. They can feel it in your tone, expressions, and demeanor. Most children will stop fidgeting and pay attention when they sense an urgency in your words. What if they felt this as we hold the Bible in our hands and teach from it, really believing and treasuring the Bible as the very words of the Holy God?(Image courtesy of graur codrin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)
