It will ground your children in truth. It will add to your children’s spiritual growth. It will give them experience discussing what is truly important. It will encourage your children to think about others. It will instill a spirit of thankfulness within them. It will reduce feelings of isolation your children might struggle with. It will improve communication within your family. It will build up the faith of your children and promote humility among them. It will assist your children in conflict resolution. It will teach them respect for God and others. It will help you to understand your children better. What could possibly accomplish all these things? It’s something that has been neglected in many families for years, but if practiced would radically change the health of our families, marriages and local assemblies for generations.
It was once referred to with the quaint phrase “the family altar.” And the old adages have largely proven themselves to be true: “The family altar will alter a family.” “The family that prays together stays together.” “If you’re too busy to have a family altar, you are just too busy.”
The concept of a family altar originates from the Bible’s first book. Throughout Genesis, men such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob built altars to the Lord with their families present as they worshipped. By Moses’ day, the idea of reading and praying together as a family became something specifically instructed by the Lord. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deu 6:5-7).1 A number of the Psalms speak about the home as a place where parents regularly instruct their children (Psa 34,78,127), even doing so “around your table” (128:3). In the New Testament, just before Paul gives instructions to wives, husbands, children and fathers, he exhorts, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (Col 3:15), perhaps envisioning a Christian family sitting down together around the Word of God.
Maybe it’s a practice you’ve always considered but don’t know where to start. For some families, too many other commitments have crowded out time which could be used. Late days at the office combined with after-school activities make it difficult. But we will always make room for what we feel to be valuable. Reread that first paragraph. This is obviously worth it!
It might be unrealistic to begin reading and praying together every day, but determine before the Lord that this will be a priority in your home. If possible, take turns reading the verses and discuss them. Ask each child who or what you should pray for so that they develop the habit of thinking about others. Let them pray also as it can become a great training ground. Whatever the case, you can make this happen. Tell the family it starts tonight. Join with Joshua in his resolve: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Jos 24:15).
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the ESV.
