What is family worship? (Click the arrow to the left)
As Christians, particularly Christian men, we are responsible to lead our households with strength and resolve in the ways of Christ. Leading our families in devotions and family worship is one way to lead our families, raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Jesus Christ (cf. Deuteronomy 6:7; Ephesians 6:4).
In my house, we do morning and evenings. In the morning after we eat breakfast together, we all have our quiet times. We read our Bibles seperately and journal what we see. In the evenings before bed, we talk about what we saw in our morning Bible reading, I share my insight from my own devotional time, we ask questions from the New City Catechism, we sing a couple worship songs together, and then we pray as a family. Family worship doesn’t have to look like this. It may look different for every household, but I want to invite you to join me in leading our families well. Every weekday on this blog, I want to provide a guide for fathers to lead their families in some form of family worship. If your household doesn’t have a father, I believe the responsibility falls to the mother. Design a routine that works for your family, but be intentional about leading in the only way that matters instead of getting too caught up with the affairs of this world. Every Christian man is the pastor of his home. I believe the most important thing we can do for our children is (1) lead them in the home and (2) be faithful to the church as a family. As the family goes, so goes the nation. Our job as pastors to our family matters.
John 11:8-16
8 The disciples *said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
10 “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
11 This He said, and after that He *said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”
12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”
13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.
14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”
16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
Jesus knew Lazarus had died. He told His disciples plainly that He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead so they would believe. The disciples obviously did not understand what Jesus was saying, with one insisting Lazarus would get well and Thomas agreeing that they should go die with Lazarus.
I think we also misunderstand the authority Jesus has over sickness and death. He has all power and authority, period. I think we also often misunderstand Jesus’s purpose for working miracles—so His people will believe, not for the selfish health and wealth of His people. It was better for Jesus to not have been there to heal Lazarus. It was better that Lazarus died for the sake of the disciples’ belief. Sometimes it is better for us or our loved ones not to be healed. Jesus will always do what is best for us and His other kingdom people. His goal is not always our comfort or pleasure. This is sometimes a difficult truth for us to accept. Even worldly fathers, if they are good, do not give their children everything they want or make their children comfortable. We do what is best for our children, even if it is difficult in the moment.
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Alex Southern Baptist Chapel 
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