“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV
Did you grow up in a family that just never missed morning devotions daily? Most people went through it like it was some punishment, while others slept through devotion despite their parents’ efforts to keep them awake. Interestingly, those minutes in the early hours of the day or late at night united the family so much so that some conversations flowed better afterwards. The most remarkable thing is that once that culture has been instilled, most people never forget it for the rest of their lives.
The biological family is important to God’s spiritual agenda. It is the smallest unit of the local church. The story of salvation is the story of the faithfulness of families to the legacy of the truth. If you grow a family and raise children in the way of the truth, you will have fulfilled God’s plan.
One major way to build strong Christian homes is by spending time together praying. This should be a conscious and intentional effort. Praying together strengthens your unity as a family. Have you ever tried to pray with someone that you were upset with? The answer would be negative because there is something about praying together that leaves no room for strife and ill-feeling. A prayerful home is a home filled with love, respect and patience for one another.
More so, a praying family can stir the power of God to meet a need or work a miracle in their lives. Jesus, in Matthew 18:19-20, explained and taught about agreement. When we come together as a family to agree on something, it can be met by the power of God. In Acts 12:5-14, the church agreed together in prayer for the deliverance of Peter from the prison, and Peter was delivered. This means that every time we pray together as a family, we can always direct the power of God to meet whatever issue we agree on.
Moreover, as a believer, you have been called to minister unto God and make disciples of all nations, but you also have a responsibility to your family. You must therefore be committed to the spiritual growth of your family. God channelled His divine agenda through the institution of family. He handed His plan over to Abraham and could count on Him to ensure that it was preserved from generation to generation, and He expects us to pass the same on to our children, including the culture of prayer (Deuteronomy 6:7, 1 Timothy 3:4-5).
This means that through our families, God can execute His counsel and will on the earth. We can raise godly children who will also grow up to serve the Lord and be committed to the propagation of the gospel. This is obvious in the life of Timothy, who was raised in the faith by his mother and grandmother, and eventually grew to be a Pastor. Proverbs 22:6 talks about training up a child in the way he should go. That is done within the family.
Conclusively, the goal of praying together as a family can be achieved through conscious and intentional decisions, even when there is a misunderstanding among members of the family. Prayer will strengthen the bond of a family and keep away strife.
Bible Reading Plan: Mark 3