By: Ansley Bonaventure, Middle School Principal

If you had to list the top five things you are trying to teach your children before they turn 14, what would those things be? There are so many habits, skills, and character traits that we long to see grow in our children as they mature. It would be difficult to choose. In fact, the things we want to instill in our children are often changing. The practices that we want them to succeed at when they are 5 are different than the ones that are important when they are 10, and those shift again as they enter the teenage years.

the habit of worship

There are a few habits, though, that are lifetime habits and are not taught in the traditional sense. They are better modeled than explained. One of these is worship. It is easier to show our children how to worship than to teach them what worship is. Certainly, we can explain what worship is, but if our homes are havens of worship then our children will innately understand what worship is.

In Luke 19 we read, “When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'“

Jesus told us that the stones will cry out if His people keep quiet. The stones aren’t taught, they just will. They will provide what the Lord is worthy of if we don’t worship. They will innately know.

Our children will innately know what worship is when we make worship a habit. How do we do that? We worship! We worship in our homes, in our cars, in our joy, and in our struggles. We especially worship to combat the lies of this world and of our enemy. In the song “Raise a Hallelujah” by Bethel Music, there is a repeated lyric that says,“I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody.” 

Do our children see us employing praise, prayer, and deep worship when we are struggling? 

Do they know that worship is a tool for us as well as a blessing to the Lord?

He dwells in our worship

Psalms 22:3 tells us that God “inhabits the praise of His people.” He dwells in our worship! 

Do you want God to be near to your children? Worship. 

Do you need the Lord to calm the chaos? Worship. 

Are you rejoicing with good news? Worship. 

Are you on your knees asking for change? Worship. 

Are you worried about what’s next for your children? Worship. 

Are you out of energy with ten more things to do? Worship.

If worship becomes a regular response, your children will grow to also become worshippers. 

It will be normal for them to turn to our God in praise and in confidence. And, if worship is the atmosphere of your home and your heart, your children will grow to join you and one day even remind you to respond in praise.  

May we “tune our hearts to sing His praise.” Our children will do the same when they see this as the good and familiar way to live in response to our Almighty Father.