Posted by Matt Markins in 
I was listening to an old Dobson pod-cast this week and heard the question “when you hear the term Family Devotions, what comes to your mind?” Apparently when most Christians think of Family Devotions they have negative thoughts. One word kept surfacing to the top: boring. Many Christian adults today, refuse to do Family Devos in their own home because they equate them with mysery as a child…listening to dad read verse after verse of Leviticus. How can we keep this from happening?
I thought to myself, “I can’t let this happen in my home!” The message of hope to the world is not boaring, so I better stay out of the way and let the exciting message do the work. But how can I keep this from happening?
Family Devotions in our home have not been boring…so far! Let me share with you what we have discovered. First of all, remember to use Deuteronomy 6:4-9 as your guide for spiritual training in the home. D6 says that we are to love God and to talk to our children about Him at home, away from home, in the morning, in the evening…even if we travel to the Moon!
Every morning while our boys are eating breakfast (and daddy is at the office) Katie reads a handful of verses to the boys, then they discuss them. Sometimes the boys have questions. Sometimes they laugh at something mom read. Other times they have nothing to say, but this consistent, daily interaction in the Word is developing a habit for daily bible reading and a love for God and his message. She just started this a few months back and they have almost completed the book of Genesis!
One thing the boys love is reading with me in the evenings. All I have to do is go and grab a couple of books, walk into the living room, and the boys will fight to get a space on my lap. This is something we have been doing since the boys were babies…well worth it! Sometimes I read the Bible, sometimes I read a Bible story book, other times I read a children’s book and we talk about the lessons and the values we can learn from the story. I think by switching it up and doing something different on a regular basis, it has kept the boys interested. What’s most important to me is the interaction between us…this allows me to have an open channel to communicate the wisdom, truth and love of God (like Proverbs…a message from a father to a son).
Lastly, always look for teachable moments. Maybe you didn’t plan to have family devotions but your daughter tells you that she is being picked on at school. Perhaps your son asks you a small question like “what is the meaning of life” or “what is my purpose?!!!” Treasure those moments and don’t fumble. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” You will do great!
If you have never attempted family devotions before, or if you have tried and it didn’t go so well, just remember it’s most important to connect with your kids first. If you want your faith to transfer from you to them, you must first earn credibility and trust with them (this takes work!). You can give them 18 years worth of Bible knowledge, but if you don’t connect with them first, your success rate of actually passing it along will be diminished. I mean, think about it, if you don’t take time to play with them, or to listen to them, or to take a bike ride, then why would they want to take you seriously when you crack open the Bible?
Moms and Dads, you can do it!
