“But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve… But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”- Joshua 24:15 NLT
One shared experience among many people who grew up in Christian homes is being woken up at the crack of dawn for morning devotions. Some parents ring a bell to wake the family for devotion, some shake the kids awake, others baptize with oil and some don’t spare the rod.
These parents have diligently devised different methods to create and maintain a structure for family devotion and to worship God together according to His will. This culture of maintaining a family devotion is one of the essential ways to train a child in the way of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6).
A strong foundation is crucial for raising godly children. If you examine many of the great men and women of God in our time, you often notice a pattern: a family that prioritizes God. These routines are vital because they form the foundation of our faith. When many young believers are asked to lead worship, they often fall back on popular family devotion songs like; “Good morning, Jesus” usually followed by “I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart.”
A family serves as the first example for a child. If children grow up in a household that puts God at the center of the home, they are more likely to put Him at the center of their own lives. Therefore, it is important for families to model devotional fervor. Whatever the pattern or routine, it is important to maintain a structure of devotion as a family. It does not have to be daily, but it needs to be consistent.
Joshua, as the head of his household, pledged his family to God. He understood that serving God as a family was God’s will. Setting aside time to teach the bible, worship God and establish family values is important to build up a family that will serve the Lord.
Bible Reading Plan: Leviticus 13; Matthew 27:27-56