Step By Step To Family Devotions - Find Accountability

You have your first week of family devotions under your belt. Congratulations! You did it! You took the first big step and followed through in obedience to God’s will for your life as a parent. God will bless you for your obedience.

Now, of course, comes week two. And week three. And week four, five, six and so on. Don’t panic! We’re going to take this thing and go one week at a time. All I want you to focus on is what we’re doing this week. Jesus even said not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. You’re going to focus on seeking God with your family, one week at a time.

To motivate you towards holding weekly family devotions, I want you to establish an accountability relationship with someone. You need someone who will check in with you at least once a week, ask how it’s going, encourage you to keep on and even make timely suggestions for enriching your family’s time together. Not someone who operates by fire and brimstone guilt, but someone who demonstrates Christ’s love firmly.

Start with your pastor. Explain what you have purposed to do in your home and what you have already done. Ask him to suggest a family who would be willing to work with you. Then, approach that husband and wife and ask for their help in following up with you and your family. If this is a couple who values their parental responsibility as their child’s biblical teacher, they will be thrilled (and honored) to partner with you.

One final suggestion. I would be more than happy to send out emails of encouragement, once or twice a week, to help you maintain a focus for your family devotions. I’ve signed up for that kind of support for other areas of my life, and I’ve found it useful for keeping me on track. Email me, and I’ll begin sending notes of encouragement right away (your privacy will always be guarded by me). Just one more avenue for helping you with accountability.

Homework: 1. Call your pastor and get hooked up with an accountability family.
2. Consider taking advantage of my email support.
3. Continue praying with your spouse.
4. Go on to the next chapter(s) of Mark, making sure you write your devotional time on the family calendar.

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