Family Devotions

Family Devotions


I was tired when I went to bed last night and was very surprised when I awoke somewhere between 4:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. I rolled out of bed and found some warm clothing to keep the chill off while I made my way to my easy chair with my Bible in hand to continue my journey of a lifetime in reading scripture. I read through Ezekiel and was just beginning to dig into Daniel when I heard the alarm clock go off in our bedroom. I knew then I had about fifteen more precious minutes with the Lord before I needed to start breakfast and wake the boys. I read on with great interest and expectation.
I ended reading about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their confidence in God despite threats of the king and possible execution left them undaunted. Their boldness was an inspiration for me to preach the truth no matter what. Hurriedly I started the eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, and biscuits, while arousing the boys for another day in Paradise (we actually live in a town called Paradise, TX).
The boys needed help in finding clothing, each needed a hug and a “Good morning!” Turner and I even did the “wake up dance” which we made up on the spot. The plates were made and we sat down to eat. I took Brenda’s breakfast to her in the bedroom where she was still getting to ready and was just about to jump into the shower and shave to get myself ready to head to the office. Normally by this time, I have between fifteen and ten minutes to get ready. It is a rush. And then it dawned on me, I had not had a family devotion. I did the mental juggling act of determining if I had the time to squeeze a devotion in and still have time to get ready and be at the office by 8:00 a.m. I knew there was not time, but standing in my bedroom and looking into the living room I saw my precious boys and knew it is what God wanted me to do.
I forsook the shower and gathered them around me and sat in my chair to tell them the exciting story of these faithful three Hebrews who refused to bow even if it meant death. I challenged our boys to stand for God even when others around them are bowing and even it means physical harm. The oldest two said that they wanted to stand even if it meant death because they would go to Heaven anyway. How proud I was of them and how contented I felt after we prayed and they left for school. I was ten minutes late in getting to the office, but I will do nothing more valuable all day long than invest spiritually into the lives of those boys. I know it will not be easy for them in the days ahead having a “preacher” father. So continually I challenge them to remember everything Jesus has done for them and to compare that with what the world has to offer.
[Ps 78:5-7] “For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which He commanded our fathers, that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.”
Who sets the tone spiritually in your home? God desires it to be the fathers but many homes do not have husbands and fathers. What then? The mother, grandmother or whomever must step up to the plate and offer family devotions. How will our children ever learn the testimonies of God and His nature if we entrust all their spiritual education to the church? There is so much of God to learn and the church cannot teach all of it alone. Our homes must be primary source of spiritual education and the church will reinforce these truths week after week. My boys and your children need the consistent diet of scripture both inside and outside church.
Having family devotions does several things. First, it helps set the spiritual tone of a household. It affirms to little impressionable minds that the Bible is filled with truth not just to be heard and studied at church but in everyday life. God is preeminent in the universe and should also be in our homes. Second, this time together bonds our hearts and gives strength for the battles of the day. My oldest son was recently picked on because of a number of television shows he is not allowed to watch. Instead of being angry about that, he stood for truth among his tormentors and told them that his daddy loved him and would only hinder him from watching shows that were not good for him. He is only ten and the persecution and the peer pressure will only intensify as he grows older. What will give him the backbone to stand? I pray it will the examples he sees and hears about in the Bible over and over again. Third, this pattern begins to affirm the habit of children learning to have quiet times or devotional times on their own as they grow older. How many of you parents even know if your children have devotional times? If they are not having them, what are you going to do about that? Of course, all of this presupposes that as a parent you are having regular quiet times with the Lord. If family devotions were made a priority, love for God would increase, service for God would intensify, and the rule and reign of Christ would control our lives.
I challenge you to commit to the Lord and to your family to begin having some sort of family devotions. I have a youth minister friend who became convicted that his son was not spending any time with the Lord and so they committed to have a devotional time together. He told me later how meaningful and special that time was for the two of them. I found myself in a pastor’s house early one morning and discovered them reading the book of Romans together and having prayer before beginning their day. What a sweet scene that was. Some do it at night before everyone goes to bed. Others like the morning better. The time is not that important. The important thing is just to do it. Set aside time to get your family into the word of God TOGETHER and pray.
I confess that I have been very inconsistent over the years with this time. I usually do ours in the morning and if we are running behind schedule it easy to get crowded out and neglected. Do we not want to teach our families over and over again to put their confidence in God? Do we not want to reiterate the importance of not forgetting the works God does and has done and will continue to do?
I did not grow up with that blessing or privilege. I often think of the joy of my children growing up and getting married and seeing them sitting down with their families to open the word.
A few years ago Brenda found a painting of a father sitting on a couch surrounded by his children reading the Bible. In the background of the painting are scenes from the Bible alive and being acted out. Brenda told me she bought that picture because it reminded her of me. What a challenge that has been to me to fight for family devotions. Now, I look at that picture and think about grandchildren unborn and unknown to me but already conceived in the mind and heart of God. I picture my boys, Taylor, Tanner, Tucker, and Turner one day gathering their little ones to sit around them as they open the word of God and remind their children to put their confidence in God as they recount the many miracles they saw as a boy and the faithful God their grandfather has served and loved for so long.
Committing to family devotions is not easy but it is worthy of the fight for time. We must carve this time out of our day at all costs. What could be more lasting and precious to the heart of any parent than to see their children grow up and remain faithful in their devotion and service to God in the midst of a pagan and wicked society? May God help us to fight for the minds and hearts of our children.
Father,
I pray for each one reading this to have the fire of desire well up in their souls to lead and train their families spiritually. I pray you would give them discipline and remembrance to spend time as a family in your word. Lord, I pray for those impressionable minds and hearts of little boys and girls and ask you to fill them with you and with great confidence in you as they grow older. How I pray this would start a chain reaction to last through the ages. Lord, without your help in managing our time and continually challenging us to do this, we will fail. I thank you for giving us the strength and discipline to succeed. In Jesus name, Amen.