This devotion was first published in The Secret Place (Judson Press) Fall 2012. A reprint of it was then published in Word Aglow (Pentecostal Publishing House) Spring 2014.
Far be it from
Me!
Read: 1 Samuel 12: 21-24
“Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin
against God by ceasing to pray for you…” 1 Samuel 12: 23
When
I was a child, my parents started each morning with prayer. Before my father
went off to work, we all sat around the breakfast table enjoying a meal as a
family. Then, when our plates were empty, one of my parents would read a verse
from the Bible and offer a short prayer seeking God’s blessings on each member
of the family before we all went our separate ways for the day. Those were the
good ole days. Today, everyone is in a hurry to do everything.
I
confess I am as guilty of living a hurried life as the next person. But I have
often thought about the fact that each member of my parent’s immediate family
used to be lifted up to God, by name, every day. I try to do this too now,
though typically, my prayers for my family are at bedtime.
I
commented about this to a friend in my prayer group. Some weeks later she told
me, “You know what you said about praying for every member of your family every
day? Well, I’ve thought about that and now I do it too. I have just made it
part of my morning routine – just like combing my hair or brushing my teeth. So
every morning, I comb my hair, I brush my teeth, and I pray for my family by
name.”
Busy as
we are, lets again become a nation of families who pray!
Prayer: Thank you
Father for giving us families. Today we lift them up to you and ask your
blessings upon them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thought for the Day: Comb
your hair, brush your teeth, and pray for your family.
