Family Worship.
"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom." Colossians. 3:16.
“How the head of the family should teach his household to pray morning and evening,” this heading in our Lutheran Catechism points out the duty of every family to maintain family devotion. This plain Christian duty, practised in all ages by God’s people, has much fallen into disuse.
Family worship belongs to the good old customs. It was practised by our Lutheran forefathers. After the time of the Ref ormation it became an almost universal thing in Lutheran lands. And although in our modern times many have abandoned also this good old custom, yet those who first of all seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness should never cease to practise it. Retain your home devotion, or return to it if you have dropped it, and do not omit it if a stranger happens to be a visitor in your house. Be not ashamed of the old way. Family worship is as necessary and as beneficial now as it was in olden times.
The benefits of family worship are many and great. Morning devotion anchors the soul, so that it will not very readily drift far away from God during the day. It draws down upon the domestic circle the blessing of God. We have the assurance that wherg two or three are gathered in Christ’s name, He will be with them. They think of Him. This has a hallowed influence upon the family peace, which so often is threatened. Unkind feelings toward each other will vanish when members of the family unite in prayer. Family discipline will be made easier, and the home more pleasant. The proper rearing of our children demands devotion at home. Such worthy example of the parents will in after-years still be so vivid in the minds of their children and so powerful as to exert a most beneficent influence on them.
The little time devoted to the daily contemplation of God’s Word is most profitably spent. If there are seasons when you have no time to spare for private reading, let your Bible be used at least in the family worship. In addition to personal reading and private study of the Bible it should daily be read in the family circle; for, certainly, no Christian house should be without the family altar. Let it be our resolve: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Prayer.
Dear heavenly Father, grant me grace to take constant delight in Thy Word, so that I gladly hear it, read it, meditate upon it, and with it minister unto others. Let me speak of it day and night, and let my mouth show forth Thy righteousness and praise. For all this I will ever love, bless, and praise Thee, my God and Lord, together with Thy Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, and the Holy Spirit, evermore thanking and serving Thee, with all the believers and the good angels, to all eternity. Amen.
