Making Time to Pray as a Family

It was midsummer on the beach – warm with a slight breeze, loud and happily chaotic. The sand was crowded with families playing, lounging, and enjoying time together. Children played at the edge of the water, digging holes or alternating chasing and being chased by the waves. Older kids and adults dove through waves and floated between swells.

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” – Matthew 18:20

A mother sitting on a blanket called her teenagers – two girls and a boy – to her. Flopping down, they gathered close to her. She reached into a bag and pulled out a dogeared Bible. Clearly it had been on many journeys with them; it was a consistent part of their lives.

The mother opened to a page and read a passage while the children listened. Then she looked up at them and briefly spoke – explaining the verses, interpreting the message, maybe applying it to something in their lives or the world.

Then she laid the Bible down and the family gathered hands, bowed their heads and prayed. With that, the family returned to their day at the beach. A new idea or a bit of growth was in place, solidified by prayer.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1

As parents of school-age children, our lives are busier than ever, and it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of life. Even on vacation we have tasks to complete, places to go. Our interaction with God can be the first item to fall off the agenda.

But busy times are when we need prayer the most – to keep us centered on the path we are walking with God.

So wherever you are this summer and beyond, take the time to pray with your family. Gather together, open a Bible, read a passage, talk about it. If you need inspiration, pick up a daily Bible or calendar – there are so many options available today. Help your children understand the message as it relates to their own lives. You will all reap the bounty of peace and contentedness that comes from growing your relationship with God.