WHO IS JESUS
ISBN 978 1 645 072 294
NAMES AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
ISBN 9781911272779
WORDS ABOUT JESUS
ISBN 9781527106147
I SEE JESUS
ISBN 9781913896980
30 PROPHECIES ONE STORY
ISBN 9781527104280
If there is one word that describes what people are doing these days, it would be ‘searching’. Some say they are searching for God and others are searching for themselves.
As a child I was often told the story of the Highland kitchen maid who, when seeking salvation was told first to pray ‘God show me myself’ and then ‘God show me Thyself.’
God is certainly willing to do that – we don’t have to ask Him twice.
There are some wonderful children’s books that help families to see humanity in its reality and God in His true identity. Who is Jesus: 40 pictures to share with your family by Kate Hox (New Growth Press).
This book has some excellent descriptions of Jesus Christ. The author is taking Christ’s identity beyond narrative stories that appear in typical children’s Bibles. With the material in this book your family devotional times will cover Jesus as Firstborn in all Creation; The Serpent Crusher; The Ark and the Door; The Mercy Seat; Horn of Our Salvation.
Initially I did wonder about the illustrations, but on reflection I feel that they are thoughtful and likely to inspire discussion amongst a family. This is the type of book that can end up being suitable for a mixture of ages rather than just being simply pitched at a young demographic. There are some good Bible references and reflections with each chapter.
All in all you have over a month’s worth of topics here – a good book to help your family dig into the identity of Christ. You could certainly use it alongside the popular Names and Attributes of God devotional dippers (10 Publishing)
For younger children, Carine Mackenzie’s book Words About Jesus (Christian Focus Publications (CFP)) does a very similar thing with full-colour illustrations taking words like Prophet, Priest, Christ, Redeemer and Immanuel.
One of the books I’m looking forward to seeing in print has been hinted at on the Good Book Company website. I See Jesus by Nancy Guthrie and Jenny Brake looks like it will be an excellent book to introduce young children to some of the ways we can see Jesus in the Old Testament. Look out for it, as it is due to be published in June 2022.
30 Prophecies One Story (CFP) focuses on 30 of the prophecies from Scripture that are fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Paul Reynolds gives the date and background to each prophecy and then an explanation of how Christ fulfils that prophecy. The section that sets this book apart is called Salvation Thread. In that you clearly see how each prophecy is part of God’s plan of salvation for sinners. In the interview on the publisher’s website, Reynolds states that one of the aims for writing this book was to explain to his children that the Old Testament is as much God’s word as the New. It’s so encouraging to see publishers raising the standard of children’s Christian material.
