But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
If you grew up in a Christian household, there’s a high possibility that your parents made sure y’all had family prayer every day. For us, it didn’t matter if we were tired, exhausted or sleeping; family prayer meant everybody was present.
Prayer is considered a time of communion with God. As a church we stress a lot on corporate prayer to foster the culture of unity. When we pray with others—especially with our spouse, parents or children; there’s a sense of spiritual unity. Our busy and inconsistent schedules probably don’t allow us to pray together as a family. Not many spouses are lucky to share the same work timings but I encourage you to find a way to engage your kids
in prayer. We have all heard the adage “a family that prays together stays together.” Praying parents yield praying kids. Galatians 6:7 says “You will always harvest what you plant.” If you want to see kids that turn to God in prayer, show them and lead by example.
Today as we focus on praying for our families, here are a few ways you can get your family to start praying together.
Invite your kids into your prayer time
Show them that their presence is valuable. Giving them a seat at the table makes them feel like a part of what you’re doing. Share with them what you’re praying for. Tell them why you pray and who you’re praying to. I allow my kids to lay hands on me and pray for me when I’m unwell. This shows them that anyone can pray.
Pray often and pray quickly
Show your kids that the first response to an upsetting or disappointing situation is praying first. When our 2 year old comes running to us with a “boo-boo”, we first say – “lets pray.” This teaches them to rely on God than on us or their own abilities. Don’t let your prayers be long-winded, kids lose interest fast. They will think of prayer as boring. As they grow, increase the duration of prayer time.
Celebrate Answered Prayer
Many of us are quick to pray but slow to thank God for answered prayer. Share the good news with your kids every time God answers prayers. This aids in faith building.
If you worship and pray together, continue doing that. If you don’t pray as a family, I urge you to start today.
Listen to Jerry and Betsy as they bring us the DEVO today.
