5 Ways Family Worship Has Benefited A Teenager
Guest Author By Ali Timmer Ali Timmer is a homeschooler, Christian, and teenage writer. When she’s not dreaming up new characters or reading L.M. Montgomery, you can find her on her blog, Sagas & Stories(sagasandstories.wordpress.com)
My father opened up his big, heavy Bible. He had finally got my mother, me, and my siblings to settle down enough to read. He opened up to our black bookmark, and I squirmed uneasily. Why was it so hard to sit still? Why did we even have to do family worship? What was the use?
…..
What’s The Use?
There is a belief going around that says that family worship is silly, old-fashioned, and above all, unneeded and useless. But that’s a lie.We cannot give in to the belief that family worship is useless. On the contrary, Family Worship is probably one of the most important things you can do for your child. Family worship is beneficial to kids and adults alike. How? You might ask. Well, just to prove it to you, I will give you five solid ways that family worship has impacted me, a Christian teen, and will probably impact your kids too.
#1 Roots Me In The Word
Family worship has helped make me root myself in God’s Word. It has helped me to think about God’s Word with my family, ask good questions, and just listen to God’s Word.
#2 Shows Me The Bible Matters
Family worship shows me that the Bible matters. It shows me that the Bible is so important, that it matters so much that my parents take time to round up me and my siblings to read the Bible, answer our questions, and listen together. That habit shows me that the Bible matters. Because, if my parents think this big book is important enough to take time out of our already full days, then it must be of value.
And it is. Like gold.
#3 Taught Me That Yes, Even I, Am Wicked
The number of times that my father corrects me or others in my family to “Sit still”, “Listen!”, or “Play a little quieter,” is numerous. Maybe this reason seems odd, but being with my family, the family I live with, who I know are wicked people, while we read the Bible made me think things like “So-And-So is sinful” and that is true, but when I put myself in the spotlight and be like “Oh! I’m not sinful either! I’m beautiful and helpful and happy!” This is a lie, for everyone has fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Being with my family, the people I know the best, the people who I get to see the core of their actions and words, and the people who I know are sinful, while we read has helped me become more humble.
#4 Gives Me Time With My Parents To Ask Bible Questions
Family worship, besides giving me time to read, sing, and pray with my family, has also given me time with my parents to ask them Bible-related questions that I might otherwise not bring up. Whether it was on mediums and witches, or the fallenness of humanity, my parents do the best they can to help me work through those questions by the guidance of scripture. I must admit, there are times they couldn’t answer these questions during/after family worship for reasons like work or other activities.
#5 Gives Me A Taste Of Sunday Morning On A Weekday
Family worship gave me a taste of Sunday morning. It encourages me, changes me, and teaches me how to sit through service on Sunday.
What Do YOU Think?
So now what do you think? Family worship might not be as useless as you thought, eh? So go, go and “train them in the way they shall go and they will not depart from it.”
We’re all in this together. Seek help from your elders if you’re having trouble starting, but my best advice in this case would be just to start. Call the family together and open up to a book of the Bible, maybe just a short epistle, and read, sing to God, and pray through Christ.
I’m rooting for you. We’re all in this together.
