01.000. Introduction
INTRODUCTION
It has been truly said, that "A family without prayer is like a house without a roof." Family prayer is the thermometer of home piety — it tells what is the spiritual condition of the household. If it is neglected, or frequently omitted, or if it is a form quickly hurried over, as a mere necessary routine of the day — we may be sure that religion is at a very low ebb in that home.
While, on the other hand, if it is regarded as a sweet and blessed privilege, if there is a heartiness and reality about it — then it is a plain testimony that the grace of God is there. In many thousand homes throughout our land, family prayer is regarded both as a duty and as a privilege. But many Christian people earnestly desire that it should be far more profitable — a far greater power for good than it has yet been. Can any hints be given which might be likely to make it so? The great matter is to make it a reality. Like everything else in religion, family prayer is very apt to degenerate into a mere form. It becomes too often like the winding up of a clock or a watch — something merely mechanical, without life or power or comfort. To counteract this, there needs first of all a well-spring of true godliness in the one who leads the devotions. True spiritual life in the one who conducts family worship is the all-essential requisite. A dead formal spirit is very infectious — whereas earnest living faith and devoted love to the Savior will be felt by the household in every chapter that is read, and in every prayer that is offered. "The mouth of the righteous is a well-spring of life." "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." To make family prayer a reality, it must he regarded as a matter of real importance in family arrangements. It must not be omitted, except for some very urgent cause. It must not be regarded as a small thing for one member to be too late to join the others in the morning. Children must be led to feel that the parents value it themselves, and wish to make it as helpful as possible to all under their roof. If the time is short for it on any particular morning, or if the engagements of the day have necessarily led to its being very late at night — it is far better to read a text of Scripture, and then to have a short, earnest prayer — than to let the morning or evening pass by without it altogether.
Then it is needful continually to watch against mere lip-worship. "God is a Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." The utterance of the lips without the desire and faith of the heart, is not acceptable to God. We must never forget this. We must perpetually seek the aid of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. We must depend upon His quickening grace. We must look to Him to stir up within us a constant sense of the absolute necessity of prayer for our soul’s health. We must expect from Him, those Heaven-born aspirations, and that filial confidence through Christ’s name, which make prayer to be indeed the prayer which is set forth as incense before our Father.
If we would make our family prayer a reality, we must study that there may be life and variety in every part of it. For this purpose it is well that the portion of Scripture read be not overly long. It should never be above twenty to thirty verses, and it is often better to make it shorter even than this. A few short words of practical comment upon the passage read is often most useful. If anything particular has occurred in the house, let notice be taken of it in the Scripture that is read, or in the prayer that is offered, or in both.
If possible let a hymn be sung, at least occasionally. It often fixes the thoughts of those present, and draws them away from worldly matters.
It is important also to have variety in the prayers offered. If a manual of prayers is used, it is sometimes well to utter in your own words, your desires on behalf of your family. The words may be very simple and few, but they may reach the ear of God, and touch the hearts of those who join with you, if only they come from your own heart, and are inspired by an earnest longing for the Father’s blessing. To assist in this point of variety in the prayers offered, I feel that a collection of family prayers may not be out of place. It need not be that any other volume which has been previously used and valued should be thrown aside, but a fresh one may be useful in supplementing the former. It may much increase the devotion of the household to have their needs expressed in somewhat different words to those to which they may have been long accustomed. My desire in preparing the present volume has been to bring before God the real needs of a household in plain and simple words, and which will be with the understanding of all its members. Oh! that each family where it is used may indeed fall low before the footstool of Jehovah, and delight in seeking Him in sincerity and truth! And may we all at length form part of the Great Family which shall meet before the throne of His glory!
"Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. May Your kingdom come. May Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." Matthew 6:9-13
"May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all Amen."
"May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace." Numbers 6:24-26
"May the Lord bless us and keep us. May the Lord make His face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us, and give us peace in Christ Jesus, now and always. Amen."
"May the Peace of God which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen."