We make teaching children too complicated. Children learn like we do, it just needs to be simplified a bit. How do we as adults learn about the greatness of God? God’s Word tells us that “the heavens declare the glory of God the skies proclaim the works of his hands (Ps. 19:1). Thus, we simply look at the majesty of God’s creation and see the greatness of our Creator. This is the same template in which we teach children this same basic truth about God. Simply put we teach children of the greatness of God as we…
Point to those things in creation that children see, notice, and conclude as massive and larger than life. Then, use that as the measuring device to teach how great and glorious God is compared to it.
This lesson came alive to me when my dear friend, Bruce Ware, told me the story of how he taught his daughters this great truth when they were about 5-6 years old while on vacation at the beach. Bruce took them to the beach one day and said, “Hey girls, you know how the Bible teaches that God holds the oceans in the palms of His hands? Well, you see how big daddy is right? I’m going to walk into the water, cup my hands, and when I pull water out with my hands, I want you to watch to see if the ocean level goes down at all. Okay?”
Of course, they saw no level change once Bruce emerged with water cupped in his hands. He used that time to teach them, although Bruce was seen as “big” to his young daughters, there was absolutely no comparison when placed before the greatness of God who made the oceans and holds them in his hands.
That caused me to start looking around at God’s creation more than I had previously and as I looked for ways to teach my children, I found myself more enamored with God’s greatness myself. Start looking in the sky and see the stars. Grow in amazement of the colors of the sky at sunset, the birds that fly around your trees at home, and the beauty of the vast landscape we see everywhere. You will find more than enough practical examples to affirm what you teach children about God from His Word—He is indeed great.