One of the disciplines that we, as parents, want to pass on to our children is the “habit” of prayer.  This is an area in which I am certainly growing and have, by no means, “arrived”.  So in an attempt not to be hypocritical, let me share some ideas we have tried, and are trying in our home which I hope will serve as an encouragement to you and your family.

We started by sharing how reforming meal time prayers can be a good first step toward building the habit of prayer in your family.  Another strategy is to develop a “pattern” of prayer.  One of the ideas that has helped me is to come up with a daily prayer target that is easy to remember and that can aid in directing your family’s attention beyond, “bless all the missionaries”.  We made up an acrostic for the days of the week that helps to guide us daily in a particular direction in our prayer life.

Mondays - Missionaries 

On Mondays we pray for our missionaries; friends we support who serve the Lord in our stead.  We keep missionary prayer cards (seeing a picture helps) and often times, their prayer letters/emails so we can know how to pray specifically for their current needs on a weekly basis.  Mondays are also a good day to compose a short email as a family letting our missionary friends know that we appreciate them and their service and that we prayed for them that day.

 Tuesdays - Two Friends and an Enemy 

On Tuesdays we pray for two of our friends; asking the Lord to meet their particular needs of which we are aware.  Then we always pray for one “enemy” as Scripture encourages us.  There is usually one “enemy” or person with whom we are in conflict of some sort.  (are we the only ones?) It is a good strategy to teach our children to pray for those who and unkind or who persecute us.  It helps us to maintain a godly perspective of love toward even those who are against us.

Wednesdays - The World

On Wednesdays we pray for needs in the world beyond our borders.  If there has been a recent war, earthquake, tsunami, drought or other calamity that is in the news, we remember the people affected by the disaster and we pray for the Church that is enduring that hardship that they may be used to further the Gospel in the midst of their difficulty.  Another thing we target on Wednesdays is praying for a people group from around the world.  There are websites and books that give information for our families to pray with more knowledge and understanding.  You can even sign up to receive an email every Wednesday so your family can pray for the highlighted unreached people group of the day.

http://www.unreachedoftheday.org/  http://www.joshuaproject.net/

Thursdays -Those in Authority

On Thursdays we pray for those in authority over us.  We remember the different jurisdictions of authority under which we live - family, church, and civil government.  We encourage our children to pray for their parents (we need their prayers desperately), for those who shepherd us in our church (pastors, S.S. teachers, Bible Study leaders, ministers of the gospel), and for those who serve us in the government, both locally and nationally.  While we express gratefulness to the Lord for those in authority we also remember their needs. They especially need to hear clearly from the Lord; they need to be subject to His authority; and they need to lead by humbly serving and laying down their lives for those under their authority.

Fridays - Family and Future Vision

On Fridays we pray for our family and for our future generations.  We pray for the specific needs facing the children that day. We pray for Dad to have wisdom and discernment as he leads our family, for the Lord to turn his heart toward our family.  We pray for future spouses for each of the children, and then we also pray for any other needs facing our family at that time.  We remember to pray for Christ-like character to develop in each family member and we pray specifically for each family member to continue hungering and thirsting for God and His Word.  We ask the Lord to speak clearly through His Word to the hearts of our children to convict them of sin, to renew their hope in the Lord, to give them light for their path, to allow them to walk in a manner worthy, to cause them to be witnesses to the world, etc.  We pray for vital, passionate relationships with the Lord and for our lives to bring Him ultimate glory. 

Saturday - Sacrifice

On Saturdays we encourage our family to pray for their own hearts; to personally evaluate what is going on in their own lives and to seek to live lives sacrificially for the cause of Christ.  We use Saturday to stop and consider areas of selfish living that need to be confessed and repented of, areas of “Me First” and “My Way’s Best” thinking that need to be addressed.  We pray for a spirit of renewed sacrifice and submission to the Lordship of Christ in all areas of our lives.  We desire to intentionally submit our lives to the Lord and to serve Him with a “Not-My-Will” attitude of meekness.  Saturdays are a good day to examine, evaluate, confess, and commit our hearts to Him anew.

Sunday - Sabbath Rest and Renewal (Listen and Linger)

On Sundays we approach the Sabbath in a posture of rest and with a desire to listen to what the Lord is saying to us.  We aren’t bringing supplications to Him as much as we are just longing to hear from Him.  We linger in His Word, we rest in His presence, and we are renewed.  This is the day we cease from our work and we just listen to His voice as we worship in song and through prayer, hear His Word taught, and fellowship with other Believers around His table.  Our prayers are in adoration of Him and His works and His Word and our prayers declare His worth. 

The acrostic mentioned above is just a tool that we came up with to help our whole family to target our prayers beyond ourselves and to further build into our lives patterns of prayer that might serve to make us a family of prayer.  Consider coming up with your own acrostic or other tool that will help your family to become more devoted to the Lord in prayer.

One of the disciplines that we, as parents, want to pass on to our children is the “habit” of prayer.  This is an area in which I am certainly growing and have, by no means, “arrived”.  So in an attempt not to be hypocritical, let me share some ideas we have tried, and are trying in our home which I hope will serve as an encouragement to you and your family.

Meal Time Prayers - Prayer before partaking of food is an excellent, built in opportunity to bring our family before the Throne of Grace.  Be careful not to allow this time to become rote and dry, almost sacrilegious; just something we routinely do before “digging” in. 

If our prayers have lacked heart-felt authenticity, our children may have begun to think the “blessing” is a mandatory prayer before meals, almost in the same vein as a good luck charm.  If you pray, God will bless.  If you don’t pray, you might receive a curse, or come down with a stomach virus, or choke on your spinach, or something worse!  We can inadvertently convey that idea of curse vs. blessing by the lackadaisical way we approach our Holy Father in prayer, by the repetition without passion of phrases that become mundane and meaningless.   

Here are some suggestions:

1. Teach on prayer.  Talk to your family about why you pray before meals and convey your convictions about the privilege of prayer.  Confess any regrets you have for how you may have been careless before, and commit together as a family to approach prayer with a new fervor.
2. Set an example of prayer.  Make it a priority to pray together before meals as a family.  If you understand the awesome privilege of approaching a Holy God with thanksgiving for His provisions, it will come across in your words and in your attitude and be contagious to your family. Consider the fact that your children are learning patterns of prayer set by your example; therefore take advantage of these opportunities to teach them "as we walk along the way", and be intentional in your discipling of them.
3. Try being creative, and less predictable.  Don’t always lead in prayer the exact same way.  Some meals you may sing the verse of a hymn as your prayer of thanksgiving.  Other days you may quote Scripture in your prayer to the Lord.  Some days you may cry out for God’s mercy during difficulty or remember someone in prayer that is needing God’s special touch.  Other times you may ask another family member to lead in prayer.  (Remember, not as a punishment, but as a privilege.) Variety is the spice of life, so spice up your family's prayer life by incorporating some new strategies in expressing your gratefulness to the Lord!
4. Remember the Lord.  You have the great privilege of leading your family to the throne of grace.  Meal times are regular times to stop your busyness and remember the Lord.  Your prayers could include times of confession for sins realized, adoration for God; including who He is (His character) and what He has done (His works), and asking for His help when remembering people and situations that are of concern to you.  But meal time is an especially poignant time to express thanksgiving for all of God’s provisions.  It is a time during the day when you stop and humble yourself, recognizing that you are not in charge, you are not the source of anything good in your family - but God is - and you thank Him heartily for His goodness to you and your family.  
5. Be thankful.  Not only is it commanded in Scripture to be thankful and to offer thanks, but it is a good strategy too.  Thankfulness is contagious and it transforms self-centered hearts into hearts of praise.  Thankfulness raises a soul from the mundane to the Majestic.  Being grateful and offering thanks to the Lord in every situation is what brings the Lord glory due His name.  

Stopping and expressing gratitude to the Lord at the beginning of every meal becomes a natural way we, as parents, can begin to teach our children about the privilege of prayer.  As we quiet our souls before Him, and bring our family before His throne of Grace, we receive mercy and find the richness of having our hearts turned toward Him.

No matter what the age of your children, it is never too early to start teaching them to serve others.  Chores are a natural way of leading them to develop an “others first” mentality.  It takes some thinking, planning, and creativity on your part to make this work, but it is well worth the effort.  A child that grows up with a heart inclined toward serving is such a treasure in a self-focused world.

Setting the table was one early responsibility given to my little ones.  I had some lovely dinnerware left over from our wedding, and for the time being, that was put away out of reach.  I knew there would come a day (and it did come -very quickly) when little fumbling hands would turn into strong, able hands and I left those special dishes to that distant day.   

I actually was given some “plastic” plates and bowls by my mother.  They weren’t easily breakable and they were dishwasher safe.  You can probably find some “temporary” plastic dishes at any box store or perhaps at a thrift store or garage sale. So if this idea appeals to you, be on the lookout.  

I relocated all of my child friendly plates and bowls in a lower cabinet within their reach.  They could easily acquire napkins and silverware as well.  At first, they were just expected to put a plate, a napkin, and a fork at everyone’s place at the table.  Later, we introduced the ideas of filling glasses with ice, counting dinner guests, folding napkins, arranging a proper place setting, and even table decorating. 

My youngest ones soon found joy in making our table a special place to eat each night.  Often times there were pictures drawn and left at everyone’s place, love notes tucked under napkins,  place cards made for each family member (in case we forgot who sat where), or flowers picked and lovingly placed as the center piece of the table.  It was a labor of love, a first lesson in the joys of serving the family.  I had to make it “doable” for our children by supplying them with easily accessible tools and by providing an example for them in the beginning of the “how to’s" of table setting.   

Equally as helpful, other chores grew out of the plastic plates and bowls.  Not only could they set the table at mealtime, but they could also clear the table as well.  And after dishes were washed, they knew where they belonged and how to put them away.  A little foresight enabled our family to come up with quite a few “responsibilities” that were able to be assigned to our youngest children. 

Setting the table was such a little thing, but it grew into a huge blessing for our whole family and for others. Plastic dishes and early opportunities to participate in responsibilites became the seeds planted which later developed into hearts that are ready to serve.