/**/ The Purposeful Wife: It's Never Too Early To Start: Family Devotions

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

It's Never Too Early To Start: Family Devotions

Our Family :)

 Recently my husband has started leading our family in nightly devotions. Since S is still a little baby, it's really just the two of us participating. But it's never too early to start! Niall and I came to the conclusion that if we want devotions to be a natural part of our family life while the kids are growing up, we need to start now.

What do we do? Together we start by reciting a question from the shorter catechism and the Scriptures that go with it. We are working through it with our church; each week they post the next question in the bulletin. For example, last week was the first week. Here's how it goes:

Q: What is the chief end of man?
A: Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
1 Corinthians 10:31 "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Psalm 73:25 "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you."

I was able to type these from memory, because last week we recited them five times each time we did devotions together. Niall also typed out a copy for each of us. He put his on his desk at work, and I hung mine above the kitchen sink so that we could review throughout our day.

Catechisms are a wonderful tool, because they teach what we believe, and why (from Scripture!) we believe it. If we memorize the Scriptures that go with each question, what a wonderful theological foundation we will be laying for our children!

After our memory work, we read the "family" section of McCheyene's Bible Reading Plan out loud (usually two chapters). Then we each pray.

I am so thankful that the Lord has given me a husband who is actually leading our family in the things of God. Christ must be central in our homes! If reading and praying isn't a daily part of your family life, why not begin? Share your desire for family devotions with your husband, and gently encourage him to lead in this area.

If you do already have regular family devotions, what do they include? Please share your ideas in the comments!

Linked up with: Living Well Wednesday
                          Raising Homemakers
                          Works for Me Wednesday
                          Wise Woman
                          Proverbs 31 Thursday


5 comments:

  1. Very nice. My husband and I have bible study at home also. Not as often as I'd like though because his/our family schedule is so crazy. I did just join a women's bible study though and am so excited about that. I do love it when my husband leads our family in prayer and discussion. It is so powerful.
    Congrats on your little family! :)

    http://myhappilyeverafteragain.blogspot.com/

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  2. Thank you so much :). Studying the Word as a family is a rewarding pursuit, we are always blessed when we make it a priority :).

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  3. Nice post thanks for sharing..blessings for you...loves soraya

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  4. Thank you Soraya! I hope that you were encouraged!

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  5. What a neat way to do family devotions! We have a very old copy of the shorter catechism, but I have not read the explanations/corresponding scriptures. Right now, the boys and I are on question 7 of the catechism (not spending any designated amt of time, but moving on to the next after the boys have a grasp each question and answer), and are also memorizing the 10 Commandments. When Michael is available near dinner/bedtime (which is only a couple of times each week), he also reads them a chapter from the Bible. We finished Genesis in December and are going through 1 Samuel right now. The boys are also learning to say a short prayer before bed each night. It is really neat to see how conscious young children can be of spiritual things; it often sparks interesting theological conversations in daily life about ordinary things (coveting, honoring God through honoring parents, kindness, sin nature & atonement, etc). Talking about those things w/pre-schoolers never gets old, either! :)

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