Colossians 4:2: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Different families have different temptations.

Matthew Henry wrote: “Busy families are in temptation to wordliness, and neglect of religious duties; mixed families are in temptation to discord, and mutual jealousies; decaying families are in temptation to distrust, discontent, and indirect courses to help themselves.”*

If his wording sounds a bit old fashioned that’s because he wrote it over 300 years ago. His observations about families came from his own experience as a pastor. 

What struck me most was what he said next. It was part of the remedy to the various temptations families face: They should “pray together,” he wrote, “that they be not overcome by the temptations they are exposed to.”*

Praying by yourself is good. But there are times when praying together as a family is also good. That’s what he’s talking about here—praying as a family unit.

I recognize that some of you live by yourself. I also recognize that there are families where not everyone is a Christian. But for those who live with more than one believer, praying together does several things.

It is an act of faithfulness. It is a time to thank God and ask for his help. It is also an opportunity for older Christians to model prayer to younger ones.

But there’s another benefit as well. You increasingly solidify yourselves as a team. Perhaps siblings who continually fight start to pray for one another because they know more about their struggles. Perhaps children become more in tune with the stresses parents face. Perhaps spouses start to become more unified about common goals.

If you’ve never done this, it might seem like a lot. So think baby steps. Grace at dinner is a great place to start. Another is to pray when someone is facing something challenging—like a difficult test, a disappointment at work, or when someone was teased. Maybe even once a week.

Maybe your prayer life is already great. But if you’re looking to widen the circle, perhaps this is your next best step.

Praying together makes you feel more… together.

Henry goes on to say: “whatever is the matter of our care, let it be the matter of our prayer…” 

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Notes and extra content:

—“God meets you where you’re at.” Sermon. May 5, 2024. Click here.

—“Are Old Testament laws still relevant for Christians?” Blog or podcast. Click here.

–*Matthew Henry, A Church in the House (Peterborough: H & E Publishing, 2018), 25, 27.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.