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Everyone Stay At the Table

It happened most every time our church had a guest speaker. At least that’s how it seemed to an eight-year-old boy. The preacher would always find a way to guilt parents into having family devotions. I still remember the shaking finger that seemed to reach way out into the audience.

And I knew what would happen after our next dinner meal. Mom would give Dad a nudge to which he responded by getting his Bible. “Everyone stay at the table,” was Dad’s humble, and almost apologetic, request. He read and then we knelt at our chairs to pray — all seven of us.

For whatever reason, I pitied Dad. It seemed to me as though he was being coerced into having “family time with God,” with a style that seemed so unnatural to him. Lucky for me it was soon forgotten. At least until yet another visiting preacher came along.
As a child I didn’t understand the reason behind family devotions and what’s more, it seemed as though nobody enjoyed the experience.

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 has great news for the parent that chooses to lead their children in understanding how to have a close walk and a relationship with God. These verses contain a workable plan: we are to love God with all our heart, mind and abilities. Talk with your children wherever you are, whether sitting at home or walking in a park. Have visible reminders in your home, for both you and your children, so that family time with God will become an enjoyable norm in your home.

It was my second date with Heidi, my wife to be, when she asked if we could pray together. Out loud. To say that I was unprepared for that moment would be an understatement but to my surprise, the exercise quickly became our constant. It’s now 36 years later and our day most always includes spending time with God as a couple. Building this into our daily life is one of the best choices we have made.

As life experiences gave opportunity, we would stop to include God as we made decisions or wiped away tears. As we began to have children we included them into this life norm. When they came home from a difficult day at school or had issues with friends, we included these things in our discussions and prayer times. Our time with God as a family happened around our regular life experiences.

It made the big difference for our family in times of crisis.

I was 42 when I sat in my doctor’s office to hear the news. It was like a freight train broadsided my life. “Gerry, you have multiple sclerosis.” This was not supposed to be happening to me. After all, I was a pastor and needed my body to do God’s work. My best years of ministry were yet ahead of me. I had great dreams of how God was going to use me to do great things for him. Why would God allow this to happen?

As devastating as this news was, I knew that when I arrived home, our family would stop everything and talk about it openly, cry, and talk to God about what this meant for me and our family. I remember the great sense of peace this brought to my life. I knew I could rely on my family to pray and listen to God for direction.

My story doesn’t end there. God has used our “family time with God” to make sense of who God is, how He has directed, and continues to direct our lives.

How can you start a meaningful time with God in your home?

It has to start with you and your spouse making a choice to spend time with God as a couple. Don’t hide behind closed doors. Let your children see the reality of how loving God is a part of your everyday life. One of the greatest spiritual encouragements that I received as a boy was when my parents were in their bedroom praying. I could overhear them praying for me — sometimes their request came with tears. I could hear that their love for God was sincere and real.

Next, choose to bring your children with you in your personal journey with Christ. Let them know how God is at work in your life. It’s hard to nurture your children spiritually if you never talk about it. Find a good devotional and choose a time to use it with the entire family. Leave your guide and Bible in a visible place to create a memory point.

And finally, look for experiences in your children’s lives that can be used as opportunities to stop everything and have a time together with God.

About the author:  Gerry Peters

Gerry Peters