This article was featured in the September 24, 1970, Review. While we do not know much about Mrs. Beach (including her first name), we do know she was the wife of a colporteur and mother of four, and wrote at least one other article published in the Review. We selected it because it supports nicely our focus on the importance of family worship.—Editors.
Being new in the Christian faith, we wondered how we could teach our four children, ranging in age from one to 12 years, to know and love the Lord as we had come to know and love Him. Family worship seemed to be at least part of the answer.
Our first attempts were hesitant and self-conscious, but as our faith in God developed, so did our ability to conduct family worship. In the 15 years since we made our beginning, despite many attempts by Satan, we have allowed nothing to prevent our regularly scheduled meetings with God. Because of employment and for certain other reasons, we have at times had to change our schedule for family worship, but the daily feature has never been tampered with.
In conducting our worship, we have done more than read a verse from the Bible and offer a formal prayer. As the children were growing up, we gathered in the living room immediately after breakfast, sang hymns, and took turns reading from the Bible or other inspirational book. We reviewed the children’s memory verses, praying silently each verse would be so embedded in the young minds that it would be an ever-present help in time of need. We read Arthur S. Maxwell’s The Bible Story at least six times. The children loved these stories. As the girls learned to play the piano, we sang hymns around the old piano until schooltime.
Varied Programs
Our worship program was diversified. Sometimes it turned into a good gab session, and at such times we really learned to know our children. Our discussions ranged from the nearness of Jesus’ coming to the role politics plays in Bible prophecy.
Sometimes we became so involved in our discussions and research that it was difficult to stop. Sometimes Dad and one of the boys prayed; at other times the two girls or I. Sometimes when God came so close we felt we could touch Him, we each one prayed.
On our knees in a circle, holding hands, we would offer up our plans to God for Him to approve or change according to His will for us. We would ask for God’s guidance, the protection of the holy angels, and for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to guide us in the right way. Then, still kneeling and holding hands we would sing, “Blest Be the Tie That Binds.” I know angels hovered over our family at such times. We could feel their presence. Each little one learned early to pray for the unconverted relatives and friends. He learned to appreciate, and thank God for religious freedom among the other myriad blessings he recognized as coming from His hand.
Each little one learned early to pray for the unconverted relatives and friends.
Johnny’s Diagnosis
When we took a trip to Mexico when Johnny was three years old, we left him with his grandmother. One morning he came in the house to his grandmother and told her he was sick. Making him lie down on the couch and putting his head in her lap, she talked to him to discover what the symptoms might be. In relating the incident later, she said Johnny told her, “Grandma, I know why I’m sick.”
“Why?” she asked.
Johnny responded quickly, “Because I haven’t talked to Jesus yet today.” After he knelt and talked to Jesus he went happily on to his play. We experienced many tender moments as our children testified of their love for their heavenly Father. Angels drew near as those little children confessed Christ as their Saviour. In familiar surroundings it was easy for them to speak freely. We encouraged them to stand up before us and speak and endeavored to help them enunciate clearly and with ease. This early training was a blessing to them as they took their places in church and school, either in speaking or singing.
Our worship brought us closer to God and naturally nearer to one another. It didn’t eradicate all our problems, but it certainly did diminish many of them. Because it was a daily convocation, troubles didn’t pile up. We took them as they came and usually were able to divert the large calamities.
Worships a Witness
We also found family worship to be a means of witnessing to our friends, relatives, and neighbors. The neighbor children learned quickly when it was our worship time, and they came running. They loved the songs and stories about Jesus.
Our greatest test came when visiting our relatives who were not Christians. Somehow we got through to them that daily family worship was an established custom with us, so they enjoyed it with us and even looked forward to our coming to share our faith. Also, when guests came to our home, we didn’t let their presence stop our meeting with God. To us, Christ was the most important Guest we could entertain in our home, and we didn’t permit anyone to interfere.
We feel our worship period has strengthened our faith and has given faith to our children. It has cemented family ties more tightly than any human scheme could cement them. It has helped our children develop an experience to which they can hold amid the tumult of the world whose landmarks and traditions are fast crumbling. It has helped us to gain strength to fight the good fight of faith daily.