When I think about the passage of time, one of the more interesting descriptions that I’ve read is that time either flies like a bird or crawls like a worm.
Using our time and instilling regular good habits like Bible reading is important at all stages of life. And it is interesting how often we find endless time to do things we enjoy, but struggle to find moments for vital things. We should make it a matter of prayer that in our own lives we devote time to God through His word and prayer.
So, here is a short list of recommended titles that are concise, undaunting but still thought-provoking. The first three have also been endorsed by Tim Challies and are for children aged 6–12.
Exploring the Bible by David Murray. This book leads kids through the Bible one day at a time over the course of a year. For use alongside any Bible, this workbook will help them see the overarching story of God’s word and lay the foundation for a lifetime of discovering truths about God, humanity, and the gospel (ISBN 978 1 433 556 869).
The next two books are both written by Rebecca Davis. Both devotions are small format, with concise but engaging stories.
101 Devotions for Girls. This is a short and easy devotional book for girls. Stories about real Christian women that will connect the reader to God through His word and real-life adventures (ISBN 978 1 781 919 835).
101 Devotions for Guys. This is the same type of book. An ideal quick devotion that will encourage your child to come back for more (ISBN 978 1 781 919 828).
I’d like to add to this list any of the XTB (eXplore The Bible) books by Alison Mitchell. The Book of Beginnings (ISBN 978 1 873 166 932), Miracles and Dreams (ISBN 978 1 873 166 956), and Comings and Goings (ISBN 978 1 873 166 253), are just a few of her excellent titles.
And as a regular devotional time is something we need to demonstrate to children, here is a little pocket-sized devotional that I’ve been using intermittently this year: Approaching the Throne of God by Derek Thomas (ISBN: 9781527111998).
If, like me, the passage of time and its responsibilities are sometimes overwhelming, I’d like to close with this quote by A.W. Tozer: “God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. Only to know this is to quiet and relax our nerves.”
