Why Our Children Want To Pray

Both my daughters are young enough to want to join me in whatever activity I am doing. While I'm sure they'll develop their own hobbies eventually, right now I have an opportunity to influence their interests more than I ever will once their abilities catch up with their desires. Later on they might be more capable but no longer interested.
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The most important activity I want them to learn from me is a deep relationship with Christ. Although the bulk of my daily prayer time and Bible study takes place while they are still asleep, it's not hidden from them in the least bit. They know exactly where to find me when they wake up. My 4yr especially loves to get a cuddle from me before starting her day, and she never hesitates over where to find me for her early morning greeting. My 5yr knows that I have a Bible on the computer and has helped me "word search", highlighting every mention of "God" in whatever chapter I have open. Both have asked whether Daddy is still downstairs having his prayer time, and whether they can go join him. When my prayer time gets pushed back by other activities, they've been reminded by their Dad to "leave Mommy alone; she's having her prayer time". Then at the breakfast table (our daily family meal), they listen as my husband and I tell something about what we each read in our Bible studies that morning.
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We actively teach our children how to pray, but the modeling we do is just as powerful a teaching tool as anything else we do with them. Why would they be interested in it unless they see us making it a priority in our own lives? Yet because they see us making it important for ourselves, our children want to join us in it and have their own prayer times and Bible studies.

Linked with Works for Me Wednesday and Fellowship Friday and Modest Monday