Table Devotions

“Table Devotions”

A family tradition we tried to establish was reading the Bible at the evening meal. This started with Jim(Dad, me) reading, and as the kids learned they would take turns too. Each would be holding their own Bible.

After awhile five of us were taking a turn. Linda opted out, claiming exhaustion, and Steve, age four or five, still illiterate, created his own Bible story.

We had one New Testament named something like Todays New Testament which was modern English but also included a lot of pictures. There was a drawing, cartoon-like, on almost every page. That was Steve’s Bible. Steve would look at the picture and make up a story. They were thoughtful, creative, and somewhat related to the picture, but usually a long way from what the real story was about. Often they were so far out the rest of us were gagging on our laughter, trying to hold back because it was devotions and he was serious, while we were very amused. Steve was quite intense about what he was saying so we did not want to discourage him with laughter.

Those were good positive devotional times that may have done as much good as staying close to the literal word. The children were left with a pleasant feeling surrounding Bible time.