What the Bible says about prayer in busy times

OPINION:

Parenting is one of our most rewarding roles in life, but it can also be the most challenging. Unlike professional careers that require weeks of training and induction of new employees, parenting has no official training manual and mostly involves on-the-job training.

Fortunately, as Christians we have our instruction book for life – the Bible – full of wisdom that can guide us through life’s wild journey. In addition to sharing the gospel message with our children, the Bible makes it very clear that as parents we have one important role: teaching our children to love God and love others. In Matthew 22:37-39Jesus specifically tells us that these two things are the greatest commandments.

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How do we do this as parents, especially when our plates are full?

The key is to build intentional spiritual rhythms into your family existing daily routine. In reality, Deuteronomy 6:6-7 highlights four unique ways.

“And these words which I command you today shall be upon your hearts. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

SEE ALSO: Lessons from Mister Rogers on How to Love Your Neighbor and Teach Your Children to Serve Others

This gives us a very clear command to tell our children about God when…

1. “….you are sitting in your house,”
2. “…you walk along the way,”
3. “…you lie down,”
4. “…you get up.”

What do you notice about these four ways? These are all things your family already does! Now let’s break this down into some practical ideas that you can start implementing for your family today.

“When you’re sitting in your house…”

Life is busy and sitting together as a family is rare. But most of the time, eating requires sitting! So mealtime is a good time to connect as a family. Whether it’s breakfast or dinner, start asking your kids intentional questions. Over dinner, ask them, “What was one high point and one low point of your day today?” Then connect the dots for them about how God is working in their lives or how they can talk to Him about their day.

These conversations are so important in your children’s mental development. I believe it’s dinner time second most important hour of your day (Spending time with God is number one). There is power at the dinner table and, surprisingly, children who eat with their families every week reap amazing physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.

“As you walk along the road…”

Many parents find it easiest to have a conversation while driving. Children tend to be more open to talking about things when there is no direct eye contact. I always had my kids’ undivided attention when traveling, so it was a great opportunity for deeper conversations.

For younger children, this might just be listening to worship music in the car – and that’s fine!

Another great option for families is to take a walk after dinner. You’ll be surprised how the conversation flows every step of the way. And a bonus: you stay active as a family!

“If you lie down…”

Bedtime can be one of the most wonderful times for a parent-child relationship. Create a special routine with your child by hugging him while you talk about his day, sing Jesus Loves Me, read the Bible, or pray. This will look different as your children get older, but it can still be a great opportunity to connect spiritually. For teens, it might look like a hug and a quick prayer before heading to their bedroom.

One of my favorite memories of my boys when they were little was our bedtime routine. Although it was usually a challenging time of day – just trying to get them into their beds was like trying to nail down water – it was also such a precious time. Every night we read a Bible or a devotional, sitting next to each other on their bed. Even when the parents became exhausted, it was still a special way to end the day.

“When you get up…”

Sure, mornings can be stressful. Instead of focusing on the chaos, we should see them as an opportunity – a chance to intentionally encourage our children and focus them on God to start their day. Prepare them for a great day by slowing down the pace of the morning. Pray with them as they leave the house each morning or even in the car on the way to school.

Every morning, as my boys ran out the door to school, it was like this three specific things I said to them before they left: “I love the way God made you so _____,” “What are you worried or excited about today?”, and “Let’s pray for your day…”

This intentionality has stayed with them over the years. One of my sons has even implemented some of these rhythms with his new bride!

These four family rhythms are a great opportunity to show your child that your faith is not just something that happens at church, but that it should also happen at home every day. Remember, there is no such thing as a perfect parent; we all make mistakes. But if we can purposefully implement some of these family rhythms into our existing routines, we can help equip our children to have a healthy relationship with God. After all, he is the one in charge of their day.

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Kori Pennypacker is the CEO of Bible2Schoolwhere she oversees the mission and speaks to businesses, churches and community leaders on the topic of the importance of spiritual training for children in our rural communities. She has more than 20 years of experience in children’s ministry and leadership.

Bible2School enables communities across the country to provide free elective Bible lessons to elementary school children DURING their public school day. Their vision is that every public school in the country would receive a dynamic Bible program during the school day, as permitted by national court rulings.