When I was growing up, my parents led us in daily worship at morning and evening meals. Before each meal my father or mother would say a prayer of thanks. After the meal they would read from the Bible, have a brief meditation, and close with prayer. Family worship was a top priority.

If we were running late in the morning and thought the school bus might come soon, did we skip Bible reading and prayer? No, my parents would just read the Bible before breakfast instead of after. That way, if we saw the bus coming while we were eating, we could grab something and eat it on the way to school, or miss part of breakfast. We kids might complain, but Dad and Mom would rather have us miss food than miss family worship. They knew that "man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

I grew up not in a preaching family but a farm family--ordinary people, far from perfect. But we loved each other, and God was the center of our home. Over the years, my parents' faithfulness in daily worship nurtured a connection to Christ and built up my Bible knowledge more than all I learned in school or seminary.

Family worship takes only a few minutes a day. It doesn't have to be flashy, just faithful. Starting and ending each day by talking and listening to God sets the tone for everything else you do.

PRAYER--Father in heaven, help us to worship you daily in Spirit and in truth. Help us to delight in your Word, and make us powerful in prayer, for Jesus' sake. Amen.