Calling on the name of the LORD in our homes

During these summer weeks, The Electric Gospel is featuring items written by participants in the summer 2014 Devotional Writing workshop.  This week, Mike Peek urges families toward worship and time in the Word as part of the routine in our homes.

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Family Altar

by Michael Peek

Abraham was a very notable figure in God’s plan of salvation. Abraham lived about 4000 years ago. This was a time before churches, synagogues, temples, or tabernacles, so where could Abraham and his family worship?  “He built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD” (Genesis 12:8). Abraham built several altars as he traveled from place to place. These altars were his places of worship. We are not told exactly what was involved in his worship, but we are told he “called on the name of the Lord.” When this phrase is used in the Old Testament it not only refers to praise and worship, but also to the preaching of God’s Word.  Can you just picture Abraham gathering his household together (both family and servants), leading them in worship and faithfully preaching God’s word to them?

Gipson Family at Prayer, National Archives, via Wikimedia Commons 

As a Christian family, you too can build your own family altar in which you regularly worship the Lord. The setting and activities of your family altar can vary. You do not need a designated place to do this. The family altar is the practice of worshiping God together.  It can be formal or informal. You might choose the kitchen table one day, the couch another day, and the poolside another time.  The activities can include sharing your faith in a very personal way, praying together, reading and studying God’s Word, or even simply talking about God’s love and how you see it present in your lives. 

Is a family altar present in your home? All too often this type of family worship is simply absent. The devil and the world lure us in other directions.  Even our own sinful nature wants nothing to do with worship in our homes.  According to this sinful nature, we want to be as far away from God’s voice as we can get.  We are enemies of God and do not want to be in this kind of close intimate relationship with him. In fact, we also shy away from having an open and honest relationship with our own family members. 

May we be driven to repent of that kind of thinking and look to God for his forgiveness—forgiveness which his Son Jesus won for us through his life of perfection and his death for our sinfulness. God has completely changed our lives around. We are no longer enemies of God. Instead he has made us his children.  We are spiritually healthier when we are in deep relationship both with God and with our families in Christ.

As children of God, we will take the opportunity to be with our God in worship.  And we'll want that worship in our homes too -- not just on Sundays in church.  A place where we as a family can give praise to God for all that he has given to us. Is this intimidating to you? Do you feel that you really do not have the qualifications to do it? I can assure you that you do not need to be a pastor or teacher to do this. As God’s children and heirs of everlasting life, you have the qualifications that are necessary. Look to God and his strength and power to accomplish this and not your own. Here are some thoughts that will hopefully help you get started.

●     Pray together as a family at bedtime and mealtime.

●     Set aside time for yourself to study God’s Word.

●     Set aside a specific time each day to study God’s Word with your family.

●     Pray to God to bless your efforts in setting up your family altar.

●     Keep your focus on Jesus. The purpose of the family altar is to grow in your faith in him.

●     Make God’s Word the central tool that you use. “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

●     Start by reading the Psalms or one of the Gospels. As you read, think about what God wants you to learn, what sins he wants you to see in yourselves, and what great things he has done for you for which you can be thankful. 

Prayer:

Dear heavenly Father, we marvel at your great love for us—love that drives away sin, death, and the devil, love that is with us every day despite our lack of love for you, love that moves us to worship you with our whole self.  Please bless the family altar in our homes. Help us to share our faith in you with those who we hold most near and dear to our hearts.  It is in Jesus’ precious name that we pray. Amen.