These days everyone is home almost 24/7 amid the COVID-19 quarantine. Many anecdotes abound about how difficult it is to keep children occupied and yet out of trouble. But, while educating and entertaining our children is essential, we also need to pay attention to their spiritual development. This is where regular family devotions come in. Quick quiz: When was the last time you gathered your entire family to read the Bible, pray, and worship Jesus Christ? Hmmm…. Can’t remember? Don’t be harsh with yourself, simply repent and take the steps to have your family devotions once more. Let’s examine some of the reasons why you need to keep your family’s prayer altar active.
One: Family Devotions Preserve Unity
For the Couple-Only Families
Family devotions are an important component in each Christian family. There’s the tendency for husband and wife to do separate devotions. The common reason is the difference in work schedules. Let me first commend you on keeping up with your personal devotions. However, even if you do that, you must also meet together as a couple and have your devotions. I beg you both; do not give space to the devil and his agents to break your marriage spiritually and then physically.
When you come together to declare the Word of God over yourselves and to pray, then you are keeping the flame of your family altar alive.1 Why should you keep this flame blazing? A strong flame will keep predators (demonic agents) away, it burns impurities (sins) and you will experience peace in your marital union.
A threefold cord is not easily broken.2 Keeping Jesus Christ as the foundation of your marriage will go a long way towards preserving your marital union. Never let the demands of work and life keep you away from your family devotions. Keep regular devotions together, even if you have to use FaceTime, Skype, and other technologies (like when persons travel for work).
For the Families with Children
Once children enter the picture, your responsibilities increase. But, I don’t want you to only focus on your social and financial obligations to your children. Our Lord Jesus Christ also expects you to teach your children about Him.
Your children will not learn Christianity by simply living in your home. You will need to model Christ-like behaviors before them. You are responsible for their Christian education and the full development of their godly character. Regular family devotions are a great way to share your Christian faith with your children and to groom them using biblical principles.
Two: Family Devotions Foster Everyone’s Spiritual Growth
Family devotions bring everyone closer as a unit and also closer to Jesus Christ. It’s so uplifting to hear praise and worship to the Lord from voices of all ages. However, to ensure that everyone is growing in his/her relationship with Christ, I recommend that everyone gets a chance to share in each meeting.
For example, an older child can read the scripture (in a version that everyone understands). Then everyone says what they understand from it and how they will apply it in their lives. That way, you train your children to see the Bible as a manual of relevant guidelines for daily life. Make sure that you also teach your children how to pray from an early age. They may be shy at first, and the prayers may not be polished, but that’s ok. They are learning. Guide them along.
I know that some persons are scared of praying with an audience. Family devotions are the perfect way to resolve that problem. My mother used to tell me to pray to Jesus like I was talking to someone. That’s all prayer is: you’re talking to Jesus Christ. So get in the habit of having many such talks anytime and anywhere. However, be prepared to hear Him speak to you in return in that small inner voice that will be confirmed by His Word: the Bible. And once you get His divine instructions for you and your family, then you must all be obedient and follow them.
Three: Your Children are Godly Seeds and Must be Protected
A few years ago, the Lord gave me a revelation concerning the mission of the devil against godly seeds. The enemy knows that such children are destined for greatness, and the fact that they are raised in Christian homes, makes the fulfillment of their divine purpose more likely. So he’s doing everything to pervert, steal, kill and destroy them before they become who God created them to be.
I believe that every person on this Earth is here for a reason. There is a divine mandate upon every life. Jesus Christ has a unique vision, a special purpose for each person to fulfill. Your child also has a special mandate upon his/her life. It’s up to you to protect them and their glorious destinies while they are in your care.
I ask that you lay hands upon your children and pray for them-especially before they go to school each day. The world’s system is completely anti-God and anti-holiness and it seeks to corrupt your godly seeds. Furthermore, there are many dangers seen and unseen that your fervent prayers will keep away from them. Just as the children of Israel placed the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorposts and they didn’t die3, you must also plead the Blood of Jesus Christ over your children, your spouse, yourself and everything concerning you.
Four: Your Children Become Who You Are and Not Who You Claim To Be
I’m sure that you are familiar with this scripture:
Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Training entails much more than simply telling your children what they should do. Training means that you should embody all that you desire your children to replicate. For example, telling children to be kind to each other will be quite ineffective if you are unkind in words and deeds to them and/or your spouse.
Whatever you desire to see in your children, you must first possess that quality. Do you want your children to love reading the Bible? Then you need to first love reading the Bible and show them how to study the Word of God. Do you want your children to have integrity? Then you must have integrity so that you can be a great example for them.
Regular family devotions help to reinforce the godly characteristics that you seek to model before your children. In these meetings, you get the chance to discuss biblical principles with them. Then, you consciously live out these principles before them. Your children are always watching you. You are their example, so be a godly and loving example for them.
Five: The Manifestation of God’s Will for Your Family
Marriage and the family are the two main institutions through which the Lord manifests His will within the Earth. Since each person has a unique, divinely-appointed vision to fulfill, then each God-ordained marriage and the resulting family unit has a divine mandate as well.
As I said before, having regular family devotions will help each member of your family to grow closer to Christ. As you all get closer to Him, He will reveal His special vision for your family and the missions that you’ll all need to accomplish for its fulfillment. Your marriage, your family, your home; they do not merely exist for your enjoyment. They are meant to glorify Christ and to advance the mandate of His Kingdom throughout the Earth. I pray that you and your family will know your God, even Jesus Christ so that you will all be empowered to do great exploits to His glory.4
Don’t Give Up: Keep Having Your Family Devotions!
Having regular family devotions is extremely important for every Christian family. It’s like a muscle: keep flexing it and it will get stronger. Although life’s demands will try to eliminate this devotional time, be steadfast, and resist it. Resist falling into a stupor before the TV screen; refuse to get lost in your respective social media streams. These are distractions: shut them all down! Every person in your family needs more of Jesus. You need more of Jesus Christ: His grace, His wisdom, His guidance, His peace, and His Presence.
I leave you with this scripture, even the words of Jesus Christ:
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
May Jesus’ blessings, peace, and wisdom be upon us all.
Sophia.
- This is similar to the altar of burnt offerings in levitical times. Please read Leviticus 6:8-13.
- Ecclesiastes 4:12.
- Jesus Christ is our Ultimate Passover Lamb, and so His Blood that was shed on Calvary is more than able to not only save us from our sins but to protect us all. Please see Exodus 12-13 and Hebrews 9:11-28.
- Daniel 11:32b.
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