"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:7).

The Holdridge Family Minivan is one of my favorite places on earth. As the odometer whirls, so do the conversations. Together, we traverse. Short trips. Long trips. Happy ones. Grumpy ones.

And as we go, so do our words. Time to check-in. Time to laugh. Sometimes, time to teach.

Ancient Israel knew they were to teach the word of God, the commands of the Lord, to their children. And it was to be a constant and ever-present message. Sitting in the house, traveling, lying down at the end of the day, or waking up were all opportunities to share the word. I think modern parents should do the same.

When You Sit in Your House: Focused

It is good for a family to have moments they get into the Bible together. Churches who hold age-appropriate classes and groups, all of them sharing the Scriptures, are excellent. Jesus said, "Don't forbid the children to come to me" (Matthew 19:14). And when someone brings their six-year-old in to hear my sermons, I wonder if that child is being kept from Jesus, since I'm not speaking at their level. But, even if you're part of a church that teaches your children the word, it is essential for you, as a parent, to double up the effort. The church should only be reinforcing what you have taught them at home.

Sit with your children in your home and open your Bibles together. Talk about God and His word. Declare to them the gospel, and the implications of it. Show them the commandments of your Lord.

When You Walk: Travel

Travel is a solid-gold opportunity to talk, listen, pray, and teach. Sometimes, especially in one-on-one moments, your son or daughter will be open to sharing their hearts with you while in the car or on a walk. At other times, you can help process life with them or share something God has recently taught you. It's a bit of a captive audience. And no headphones in the car, please.

I heard one father rebuke the common complaint of parents that they have to give rides all day long for their children's activities. His reasoning was simple. You only get them in your house for so long. And how often will you get alone time with them? As they grow, especially in the teen years, they are busy. Ride time is holy time, precious. Use it well.

When You Lie Down: At the End of the Day

The end of the day is a great time to thank God and ask for His help for another day, but it's also a perfect time to listen to your children share their hearts with you. It's often when the day is almost done that children will open up to you. As they do, you can help them see how the word of God fits into their lives.

It has been fun to watch this develop in our house. Our kids used to go to bed before us, but now it is often reversed. But, though we can't be available every night, we have tried to discipline ourselves to spend a little time with them before bed. Sitting on their bed or in their room, talking with them, and listening to them has been an important way for us to connect with them, and connect them to the Scripture.

When You Rise: At the Start of the Day

Beginning each day in the word and prayer is important. Though different work schedules and seasons of life (i.e. newborns) will require parents to get creative about their own devotional times, there is general wisdom in seeking God in the morning. And, as the years tick by, it is good to have a little time of devotional sharing with your kids, perhaps from an age-appropriate Bible, and then encourage them to have their own time Bible reading as they age. You don't have to stop sharing with them, but they need to learn to have their own Jesus time.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to share the word at the breakfast table (when we get a chance):

From The Action Bible: This comic styled Bible covers many of the historical narrative sections of Scripture, and provides a good launching point to talk about more prominent themes of life, faith, and the gospel.
From The Jesus Storybook Bible: This artistic and devotional styled children's Bible does a masterful job of displaying the gospel throughout the whole Bible. You will get choked up when reading it because Jesus is presented as the hero.
From The Contemporary English Version: This Bible contains Genesis through Revelation, but is written in simple English children can understand. I like choosing a book, reading a paragraph or two, making some comments, and praying with the kids to start the day.
The Proverb of the Day: There are 31 chapters in Proverbs, so sometimes I will open to the chapter in Proverbs which corresponds with that day of the month. Then I will find, and sometimes let my daughters choose, a few verses to read. Then I try my best to apply God's wisdom to their lives.
A Verse-By-Verse Study: This is more ambitious, but with a wealth of free, online commentaries (David Guzik, anyone?), you could read some verses to your kids and share what it means. This might take you a little preparation, but is that going to kill you? You'll be blessed at how much it helps you grow in the word for yourself.