Prayer to include family worship in your family routine
By: Megan Evans
Bible Reading: “A generation declares your work as follows, and declares your mighty deeds.” – Psalm 145:4 (CSB)
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While family worship ideas are desirable, implementation often comes with challenges. Today’s families are busy, easily distracted and scattered. I have raised three children of my own so I get it. Between work, school, sports, hobbies and other activities, the family calendar is full from morning to night. It’s hard enough to knock down the screen and look at each other, so where does deliberate time with God fit into our daily lives?
As followers, we already have what we need to start building our family worship routine! Think of it like a brick. Jesus Christ is our solid foundation, and by our promise of guidance from the Holy Spirit through our love and personal relationship with Him, we can begin layering every day with praise, gratitude and dedication.
Every time we turn our children’s eyes to Jesus, we spread another layer of mortar between our hearts and praise. For example, if you tell the children that God made a beautiful butterfly that just landed on their fingers, they learn to worship him as the creator. When we pray together before trying something new, children learn to worship God as true peace and confidence. When we speak about how God helped the people of the Bible in our face of difficulties, we teach the worship of God as a true identity and strength.
As stated in Psalm 145:4, “One generation will declare your work in the next, and declare your mighty deeds.” Incorporating worship into our family routines is a privilege and blessing to our families. As parents (and other daily caretakers), our ambitious minds become the willing hand that we can place worship services. Let’s make the church a priority, love others, and set an example by sharing what God teaches us in our Bible study, prayer and daily faith.
Family worship not only appears to be a voluntary moment, but we can see together a deliberate era of intensive dedication, and God blesses our efforts to teach our families to seek him. Prayer is where you should start! Ask God to show you how to start worship as a family, then follow his chief faithfully every day and continue to strive.
I recall unique family experiences. One night after dinner, popsicles placed in the enthusiastic hands of my four, seven, and nine-year-olds gave way to a quiet five-minute minute. During the round moments, I carefully reached behind me and opened the latest children’s prayers I purchased in the hopes of learning to study the Bible together. Those moments led to a short biblical story, a question or two, and even a smile as we bowed to thank God for teaching us what he said. I couldn’t believe we would finally pull it off! Everyone was still at the table and no one was crying! It wasn’t a deep theology or flashy lesson plan in song and crafts, but there was no need to do so. To my family, this worship routine seemed to work for us.
I decided to try again the next night and the next night. It was real life and it didn’t always look perfect. There were still occasional shifts in meals and Dad was working late. We softened clumsy tears, rubbed our backs, and syllables from emerging readers who were hoping to read a turn from the Bible right away. But something decent has happened over the next few years. When my family fell in love during dessert prayer time, we also fell in love with worshiping the Lord.
We were made to worship! At a glance at humanity, we can see a world suffering from misguided appreciation and dedication. Our human mind naturally wants to bow to something, and worshiping together will guide our family and help us find true fulfillment in the worship of one true God. New habits take time and practice to implement. When we ask for God’s help, he reveals opportunities for worship and gives us creative ideas that work for our unique family structure.
Let’s pray:
God the Father, you deserve our praise and devotion. Tell my family to incorporate your sacred worship into our daily lives and create a desire to put you first for us. Take me as a parent (or other caretaker), model fun and give me a heart. Please show me creative ways to reach my family and not give up. Instead of trying to narrow your worship to the remaining margins, just save it for you. Today’s fast-paced world rarely leaves blank spaces in our time. You deserve our best. Forgive us when we give you less. Let us lead us to prioritize corporate worship at the church. There you can come with other followers, praise your name and study the Bible. Then, throughout the week, we will stir our hearts to read, listen, and speak to you in prayer. Turn our hearts towards the we respect and wonder of your personality and promises and share with each other what we are learning as we grow and experience you. May this be the day we always lean our hearts to praise you! In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Photo Credit: © Thinkstock
Megan Evans is a military wife and mother of three wonderful children. She and her family live in central Tennessee. As an author and blogger with a disciple’s heart, Megan writes, speaks, and teaches women about enjoying God on busy days. Check out her book Permitsion To Walk: A 40 Days of Relaxing Peace and learn the daily pace of life that Jesus taught us as we navigate this distraction and fast-paced world every day. You can connect to Megan at www.unhurrymyheart.com.
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