Opening Exercises

When I started my career in education, I taught in the elementary public schools. In the first two years I had the pleasure to teach Grade 4 and Grade 5. I find it almost unbelievable that these same surviving nine, ten and eleven year olds are now starting into their sixth decade! One of the requirements at the time was that each teacher was to begin the school day with the singing of “O Canada”, the group recitation of The Lord’s Prayer and to read a portion of scripture to the students. Older students were often asked to read sections of the Bible to the class.

I had made no commitment to Christ in those days. Indeed during my first days in that Grade 4 classroom, I did not look forward to starting and leading the singing of our soon to be national anthem with my teacher’s college issue of a silly red pitch pipe. I had to write down the words to The Lord’s Prayer in case the class or I faltered in the middle of the recitation. I was somewhat uncomfortable with the reading of scripture as well. I was familiar from a childhood spent in a United Church of Canada Sunday School with the well known stories of the Bible, but for several weeks I simply read the passage and moved on to the spelling lesson of the day.

I had started the readings in the Old Testament and tried to stay with the child friendly stories in Genesis. I noticed one day the rapt attention paid by the class to the story of Noah. Rapt attention is not something most teachers achieve in the first few months on the job. I started to lengthen the readings ever so slightly. I began to ask a few questions of the students in order to clarify the reading. Hands shot up with an enthusiasm that was not always typical of the whole school day. Students even initiated questions on some days! I began to look forward as did the children to a reading from the Bible followed by an orderly but nonetheless lively discussion of the lessons being taught within the readings. There were not a few days when our discussion caused a late or shortened spelling lesson. I was able to teach history, values, morals, use of language and thinking skills while involving the students in action and adventure. The students very much enjoyed stories like David and Goliath and Daniel in the Lion’s Den. Joshua’s conquering of Jericho was of great interest as was the parting of the Red Sea.

After two years with the same students in Grade 4 and Grade 5, the “enlightened” powers that be declared that the regular reading of Christian scriptures should be discontinued. Although I understood the “enlightened” reasons behind the decision and actually at the time would have approved, I missed the readings and the resulting discussions a great deal. I suspect strongly that the students missed it as well. It had set a tone for each day and now it was gone. About fifteen years later the reciting of The Lord’s Prayer was discontinued as well. The regular use of Christian prayers was not consistent apparently with the needs our multi-cultural society.

How, you might ask yourself, are the memories of another world forty years in the past relevant to my blog today? Now, as a born again follower of Jesus, I am very aware of the power of the Word of God. (John 1: 1-3)

1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

In these first few lines of the Book of John we learn that Jesus is the Word. He was with God and indeed He is God. There never was a time when Jesus was not the Word. Indeed Jesus created all things. I find it most appropriate that Jesus should be called the Word. The words of the Holy Bible are God’s direct communication with us here on this earth. Jesus is God. Should I be surprised then that the reading of the Word of God had such a profound effect on young students and an equally young teacher so long ago?

I pray that we all understand the power and are willing to spread the Word of God. Its power has been evident from the beginning of time and continues to spread calm, knowledge and good sense. Jesus is the Word. Jesus began his day with those of us who read and discussed his words in class. Is it any wonder that the time spent in the scriptures is well remembered as highly productive classroom time?

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