“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1)
I still remember, as a child, the many nights when we would kneel together as a family and pray. There was nothing quite like hearing my dad and mom calling out MY name in prayer, asking God to protect, lead, and guide me. When I became a parent, we did the same thing with our boys. It is very important that we as parents model prayer in front of our children. There are five lessons your child will learn from hearing you pray.
FIRST—Your child will learn that there is a God.
Your child is growing up in a world that is hostile toward God and toward Christianity. They will most likely encounter a teacher or friends who mock the fact that there is a God. So, hearing you pray reminds them that there really is a God in heaven.
SECOND—Your child will learn that you have a relationship with God.
It is one thing to believe IN a God, but it is another thing to KNOW that God in a personal way. When your child hears you pray, you are showing them that you have a personal relationship with God, and that they can have a relationship with Him, too.
THIRD—Your child will learn that God hears and answers prayer.
As they witness answers to your prayers, it teaches them that God really does hear us when we pray. Therefore, you should share with them when a prayer has been answered.
FOURTH—Your child will learn that they are accountable to God.
As they hear mom and dad submit themselves to God in prayer, they learn that not only mom and dad, but they too, are accountable to God. They need to learn that even though they will one day be out from under mom and dad, they will NEVER be out from under God.
FIFTH—Your child will learn how to pray!
Parents teach their children how to do just about everything, but few teach their children how to pray. The best way for them to learn to pray is by listening to you pray.
Don’t overlook the importance of your family devotional time each night. You are teaching them some of the most valuable lessons they will ever learn in life, just by hearing you pray!