Enjoying Daily Time with God - Part 1

“Dad and Mom, why is it important to have a Quiet Time?”   Maybe this question has landed on your dinner table already.  Unlike many other important disciplines stated in scripture, the Bible never offers us a “You shall have a Quiet Time with God” verse.  Let’s compare spending time with God to other enjoyable – even essential – activities.  We eat healthy food.  We drink lots of water.  We spend quality time together.  We do these things not only because they are vital nourishment, but because they are most basic for us to thrive, to live.  The same can be said of our relationship with God.  Time with Him is essential, and can be as enjoyable as a good Uno game by the living room fire on a cold, winter night.
 
Through the years I’ve come to understand the value of a set time with God, coupled with a keen awareness of God’s  constant presence throughout the day.  Scripture, prayer, even worship are a special part of time alone with God, but are equally important in the normal flow of life.  We know from Mark 1:35 that “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” And we also know from Mark 3:14 that Jesus “appointed twelve – designating them apostles – that they might be with him…”  Special time, and shared life.  This is the kind of spiritual awareness I want my kids to learn. 
 
But before we learned how to run, we learned to crawl, then cruise, then walk.  I think the same can be said about learning how to walk with our unseen, yet ever-present God.  Let’s revisit some foundational steps of spending daily time with God – and how you can encourage these in your kids.

1. Prayer – Jesus prayed.  He taught his disciples how to pray (Matt 6).  And Jesus lives today to intercede on our behalf (Heb 7).  The path to natural prayer comes through the daily exercise of prayer.  Basic, simple, heartfelt praying teaches us how to express ourselves to God.  Your kids learn to pray by praying, and by listening to you pray.  So, here is a basic instruction if there ever was one – pray together.  Ask your son or daughter to pray for something specific.  Help them if they get stuck, and let them know that every prayer is heard clearly by God. 
2. Scripture – Just as the Lord hears our voice through prayer, so we hear His voice through the Bible.  And He has said so much to us already!  We can help our children enjoy hearing from God by looking up verses together that relate to normal, daily life.  Often we get tripped up on a particular translation of scripture.  For younger children, consider the Day By Day Kid’s Bible   together to enhance their comprehension of God’s word.  During the formative years at home, it is important that they enjoy the practice of reading scripture.  And understanding what they read will establish a desire to get into more literal translations later in life.
3. Devotional Times – Enjoy having a daily devotional together. This is truly fun!  When my oldest daughter decided to follow Christ, we got up in the mornings to read the Bible and to pray together.  If it takes 30 days to establish a new habit, these are mornings well spent with your child.  Also, getting into a rhythm of a family devotional communicates that time with God is both an individual and shared experience.  You can sing, draw a picture, or talk about the joys and troubles of your day.  For families with younger kids, try Family Devotional Builder .  With older kids, consider reading through The Home Team together . 

I know that there are many resources out there.  Maybe you would take a moment to post a comment with your favorite way to encourage daily time with God in your family.  We’d love to hear from you!