Sunday Can Be A Great Family Day
Most Christian families in the city find it hard to establish a regular family day without sacrificing their church time. My observation is that most of us spend more time with our family and friends on Sundays than in the church. The most typical time we spend in church is about 3 hours. The rest of our Sunday is spent elsewhere. Can we not have both?
I believe that Sunday can be a great day with God and with our family at the same time. All it takes is a little imagination and collaboration so your kids will enjoy both the church and your time together.
Celebration Day
We go to church on Sunday not because it was the established and traditional day of worship. Sunday is our day of remembering and celebrating the Lord who gave Life and all things to enjoy.
When God instituted Sabbath to Israel as a day of rest, it was also a family affair. All works ceased and the home was transformed into a place of worship where the Word of the Lord was read and meditated upon by the household. You see, not only did the Israelites had time with God, they also took time to be with their loved ones.
I believe that is exactly what God wants to see in us. He wants us – His children – to break away from the hustle and bustle of our earthly activities and just be with Him. And He also wants us to be with our loved ones on this day of rest.
My idea is quite simple. We should make it point to do only two things on any given Sunday. First, we should make it our goal to celebrate and bless God with our whole being. And second, we should make worship a family affair with God.
Simple Ideas
The following suggestions should help make these goals possible.
Orient your household on the true purpose of going to church. Educate the kids on why you worship God and what He has done to and for your household. Children should understand early that God is and will always be the center of your lives.
Teach your household to acknowledge the people in the church as a family. The people in the church are not merely friends that we meet on weekends and forget the rest of the week. They are brothers and sisters in the great Household of God.
Prepare your gifts and offerings to God. Part of our worship are the gifts that we bring to the house of God, whatever its form. The head of the house should set the example of bringing offerings to God. Let your children know that your contributions to the ministry, your songs and testimonies, your participation in various activities – they are all living sacrifices prepared for the glory of God.
Don’t leave right away after the service. Stay for awhile and connect with your brethren. Get acquainted with the new faces. Encourage your children to get to know the new kids also.
Plan a lunch or dinner in a special restaurant afterwards. Depending on your budget, let your family enjoy their favorite meal. You can also have lunch together with other family or two. Invite a family friend in advance and plan the event with them. This is also a perfect moment to bond with church members that you don’t see very often.
Focus all conversations on things that relate to church ministry and the Word of God. As much as possible, avoid talks about school or work except when they relate to God and Kingdom work.
Encourage and support your children in church activities. Then talk about them and the lessons they learned. It helps them feel that church activities are part of your family life.
Close the day with a family benediction. The head of the family has that special privilege of blessing his children and committing them to God. As they prepare for the week ahead, your benediction can help them feel more confident that God’s eyes and ears will watching and listening to protect and care for them.
As believers we should always on the lookout for ways to improve our Christian lifestyle and make our home more in tune with God’s works. Life with God in our household is not just better: it is the best way of living.
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