Younger Eyes

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who trust in him! Psalm 34:8

Read the Bible through the eyes of a teen to refresh your relationship with God. Mark it up to give as a gift to mark a special event.

An appropriate event might be entering high school, graduation from high school, leaving for college, starting a new job, moving into a new apartment, or beginning a marriage. Mark verses that you think would encourage or strengthen your son or daughter.

Try to remember which verses helped you choose a career or a spouse or make a transition in your life. In the flyleaf of my Bible I have headings: Trust Your Abilities, Keep God’s Priorities, Keep Your Word, Have Courage or Make Decisions. Each heading has a set of verses I found helpful in those areas.

Also use this as a time to train the young person in some Bible study skills by writing activities or suggesting studies as you write in the margin.

In the book of Ruth I titled each chapter:

• Chapter 1: Excellent Statement (Underline the key verses in this chapter.)
• Chapter 2: Excellent Woman (Mark each place that shows how and why Ruth was such a great woman.)
• Chapter 3: Excellent Plan (Look up the culture of Israel during this time [I suggested several resources]. How does knowing the background and culture help you understand why Naomi had a good plan in sending Ruth to Boaz at the threshing floor?)
• Chapter 4: Excellent Man (What is Boaz doing here, and how does this show he was a good, trustworthy man ready for the responsibility of marriage?)
• Excellent Ending: (What does this show you about seeking and following God’s will?)

As I read and wrote prompts in my son’s Bible, I found that totally different verses encouraged me. Do you need a totally new look at God?