Family Devotion

Willie Nelson wrote a song many years ago called Family Bible. This isn’t a song we hear very often these days, but whenever I hear it I am quickly taken back to my childhood. In the first verse he wrote, “At the end of day when work was over, and when the evening meal was done. Dad would read to us from the family Bible. And we’d count our many blessings one by one.”

If there was one thing in my childhood I could always count on it was my Dad calling us in at the end of the day for family devotion and prayer. Many an evening was spent exploring the Scriptures and learning the importance of God and His principles. Whether sitting cross legged on the floor or on the couch or at the table, every night we were taught about God’s love for us and the need for Him in our daily lives.

Even as I got older and wouldn’t be home for devotions my parents never stopped. Many a night as I would return from a date or being out with friends I would find them kneeling in prayer. At the time I didn’t understand, but looking back I realize those prayers were for my safe return home. I used to think I was the greatest driver ever because I was able to get out of situations that seemed impossible. Now I realize it wasn’t me, but an unseen hand because of parents who believed in the power of prayer.

The last verse of that old song says: “Now this old world of ours is full of trouble. This old world would also better be if we’d find more Bibles on the tables. And mothers singing rock of ages cleft for me.” A very simple verse, but very true in today’s fast paced hurry up world.

No matter how old we get, we never outgrow the need for prayer. I’m thankful my parents taught me this by their actions. Would it be such a bad thing for children to see their parents kneeling in prayer again? From my own experience I know God hears the prayers of parents praying for their children, and I know that The Rock of Ages really does cleft for me.