A Family That Prays

A Family that prays together stays together. Happy families don’t just happen. Like everything else in life we have to diligently work at it.

Everyone knows prayer is the only way to make any sense on this world. Ok maybe not everyone but at least you do. And so does MC Hammer who says “we need to pray just make it a day, I say we pray, Oh Yeah, we pray”. Excuse the paraphrase.

“I fear John Knox’s prayers more than an army of ten thousand.”
- Mary, Queen of Scots

Those who fight on their knees have got victory in the spirit. Man is body, soul and spirit. That is what sets us apart from other beings. Whatever affects us affects our body, soul and spirit. What affects our body is a mere symptom of the real issue. The real issues are rooted in our spirit. That is why doctors advice you to be maintain a cheerful disposition when ill because that will help you get well quicker. So don’t treat the symptom, treat the root cause. The only way to do that is through prayer.

We haven’t got that much knowledge or power to deal with all that happen in our lives, so we need to pray. For example, you can only be in one place at any given time. What happens elsewhere, no matter how much it affects you, is beyond your power. Most incidents are well out of your sphere of influence. You can’t make sure your child doesn’t fall off the swing at kindergarten while you are at work. You leave that to God and hope everything goes well. The fact, if you will be true to yourself, is that you actually pray that all goes well.
So you may as well admit it. Prayer is the key to peace of mind and success in life. Every religion has a prayer element to it. Mary Queen of Scot is noted for saying “I fear John Knox’s prayers more than an army of ten thousand.” Even those who don’t pray know that prayer works. You will do well not to ignore this.

Now that we are all agreed on that principle, let’s consider the importance of communal prayer. Is it really necessary to involve your family in prayer? After all you can pray for them yourself, cant you?
Prayer brings every participant together in agreement. You can’t be upset with someone when you are praying with them. Communal prayer helps to bring you closer and harmonizes your family. When you all pray together you have a chance to communicate. That chance may not be there when you are rushing around doing your own thing, barely speaking or listening to each other. Teenagers have perfected the art of ignoring parents and barely getting involved with their siblings. But when you sit or kneel together in communal prayer, all other activities cease. No matter how much their minds wonder, when it’s their turn to pray they will focus on the need of each individual in the group. As with everything else with children, keep it short and sharp.

Practice makes perfect. The more you do it the more they get used to it, the better you all get. It lays as solid foundation for your children to draw from when faced with peer pressure and other issues of life. Whatever religion you practise, your children are learning from you. What do mum and dad do every day. What do they do in a time or crisis? How do they resolve knotty issues? Your children are watching. ( Watch out for the full jist in the next edition of Perfect Harmony Magazine coming soon)