Worship Through Reading

How incredible that God reveals himself to us through his written word so that we can know him, glorify him and enjoy him forever! And that he created our minds with the ability to read -- now we just need to learn how!

Observing children racing around the tricycle path at The Preschool is reminiscent of the classic Dr. Seuss, “Go, Dog ,Go!” Some are going fast, some are going slow…., big kids on little bikes, little kids on big bikes…some kids are using the pedals, some kids are using their feet…. All are biking and “…going around again!” and the method for moving, pedaling vs. “Fred Flintstone” style, doesn’t seem to matter, for now.

Learning to use the pedals on a tricycle requires patience, determination, and muscle memory. Each push of the pedal takes concentration and effort. But once their pedaling feet are effectively in place, we see children experience not just more speed but a greater enjoyment of the experience – over the bridge and through the tunnel with a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Learning to read requires many of the same traits… patience, determination, concentration, effort, and as research is showing more and more, strong “muscle memory” (or neuropathways) in our brain that connect the letters we see on the page to the sounds we hear in words. Science shows that when we take time to build a strong foundation of phonetical awareness, we build stronger readers for life. When the “muscle memory” is more firmly in place, readers not only engage more easily with the content, but also enjoy reading more.

Each Tuesday morning in Chapel, The Preschool children remind us that man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism #1). There are so many ways to enjoy God, but one place is in His Word where He has revealed who He is completely and specifically so that His children can know their Father and where they fit into His story. How fascinating that God chose to reveal Himself in letters and words and sentences and sounds! And that he gave us a body and mind and the Holy Spirit that work together so that we can experience our Creator through His written Word. 

So let’s read, and let’s teach children to read and read well – as an act of worship to the One who loved us enough to write Himself down for us. Let’s build strong little readers who can engage in God’s word; delight in His word and desire His word because they know His book is dedicated to them. With hope that when our young readers close the book, they will want to “go around again”!

To learn more about the science behind how a child learns to read and resources for parents of children at all ages and stages of pre-reading and reading, please join us at “Read with Me” on October 16. Details and registration link below.
Michelle Hays
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, THE PRESCHOOL AT CHRIST THE KING