5 Minutes Well Spent
Do you have time? Yes. Is it too late? Never. Will it be awkward? Sometimes...but awkward obedience is better than nothing - am I right?
If you are someone who likes the idea of family worship but haven't quite figured out how to begin, I want to challenge you to pick one meal a day (preferably one that all members of the family are seated around a table) and spend 5 minutes talking about the Lord. That's it.
Of course there are a thousand ways you could talk about the Lord for 5 minutes but let me give you a few ideas:
-read a devotional thought, discuss and pray (need a great devo for young families? check out one of these!)
-read a scripture passage from the bible or work on a scripture memory verse. Discuss what the verses mean and how we could live them out in real life.
-read the lyrics of a song you sing in church and talk about what they mean and what scriptures they are based on.
-take turns sharing prayer requests.
-discuss one name or promise of God
-ask, "what are you thankful for today?" and remind your family that all good gifts come from above.
5 minutes around your table is a small investment that will reap a great reward! Even if the baby is crying and someone spilled their juice and you are eating quickly to get to your next activity, the pattern of speaking about God as a family is meaningful and worthwhile. In that short amount of time you are:
-teaching your kids a bite-sized amount about God and His Word (which never returns void!)
-teaching your children the "language of God". They are learning to say "Emmanuel" and "Ephesians" as well as growing up with the knowledge that it is normal and good to pray out loud or sing as a family or share what God is teaching them.
-inviting your children to be a part of your faith journey. Listening to mom and dad talk about things they are struggling to understand or new things they are learning is very healthy and very helpful for children!
Start today!
If you can't make this work at a mealtime, bedtime is probably the next best option. Adapt these ideas to fit your schedule and your family. And remember, stumbling awkwardly through obedience is better than doing nothing at all. Sometimes our family worship feels clumsy and awkward but even in the midst of those very human moments, God is working and God makes those moments holy.
It's 5 minutes. No more excuses. No regrets. Go be awkward for Jesus.
Duet. 11:18-19
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
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