Through Genesis Chapter 31

I read Genesis chapter 31 to Luke and Sophia today.

Jacob Leaves for Canaan by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld

Engraving 1851-60 (It took 9 years to engrave)

Photo Credit: www.biblical-art.com

It's a chapter that talks about Jacob and his wives and all of Jacob's children, on camel back, leaving his father-in-law's estate without any notice after living all together there for 20 years. Laban, Jacob's father-in-law, and also his uncle, by the way (his mom, Rebekah's brother), catches up to Jacob's caravan and is upset--hurt really, that Jacob and his own daughters and grandkids all snuck off without saying good-bye (Jacob married two of Laban's daughters). The chapter brings reconciliation and a peace covenant between Laban and Jacob. Laban and Jacob gather a heap of rocks as a symbol of their covenant and as a geographical marker. Genesis 31:52 says "This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me."


Luke will be 3 in about 6 weeks and Sophia is 8 months. And I read this to them. Sophie likes the different voices I make, and listened intently for the whole chapter. Luke ate his breakfast through most of it. When he finished eating it went like this:

"Mom, I'm all done eating."

"Luke, we're almost done with our chapter."

"Can I have some keifer?"

"When we're done reading our chapter I will get you some keifer."

"Will you wash me? Can I go watch cartoons?"

" He said to his relatives, 'Gather some stones.' So they took stones and piled them in a heap, and they ate there by the heap."

"Are they getting rocks? I like rocks. And they put them in a big pile!"

So today, Luke liked that everyone in Jacob's family got to ride a camel from Grandpa Laban's house to Grandpa Isaac's house, and he liked it that everyone gathered rocks and put them in a big pile.

My children are very small and don't understand the bulk of what we read, but it is the true Word of God and it will not come back void. It is living and breathing and full of wisdom and power. I could read any number of toddler devotionals to my children, and we do from time to time, but I am convinced that the actual words of God I read out loud will be like hundreds of seeds planted in their hearts. The Word of God is powerful and I want my kids to hear it; even now.

If you do the math, from the day I started this 8 year bible adventure, until today, we should be much farther than chapter 31. We keep plugging along in between the days missed due to funerals, vacations, stomach flu, sleepless nights, etc. Every single morning that we possibly can, we open the Word of God and read together. I'm not worried about a strict 8 year schedule. I'm just tickled that we're getting as far as we have! And that it's going so well. I get my daily feeding of God's Word and so do the kids. Then if I have time, rarely, I will do a more in depth study on my own. I don't get to bent out of shape about it. I just do my best every day to live for the Lord.  We will press on!



Those of you who read the Bible out loud to your kids, how is it going?