What is the importance of family devotions?

from the old testament

• God's wants parents to teach their children about Him and His ways. God's Word should be at the forefront of our lives and the center of our homes, as expressed in Deuteronomy 6:6-9: "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."
• Proverbs 22:6 gives this wisdom: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." Parents who love God should do all they can to help their children come to love Him, too. Setting aside time for family devotions each day shows children that God is the center of our lives.

from the new testament

• The Bible calls parents to rear their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 says, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." One way we teach our children this truth is by coming together as a family to be in God’s Word and pray together.
• Family devotions and discussions can help our children see that God's Word is "living and active" (Hebrews 4:12) and "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16b–17).

implications for today

Christian parents should want to show their children that God can be the center of their lives. We should want them to see how God guides them in their community, schools, and relationships. As families read through God's Word, they can discuss its relevance to their lives. For example, some devotions might focus on how God's character applies to our attitudes and behaviors. Devotions could also include discussing questions about how and why the world works as it does. We might find ourselves discussing how God’s character and commands transform our relationships with others.

Family devotions help train children in spiritual disciplines like daily Bible reading. They also give children the opportunity to come to know God better and realize that He loves and cares about them.When we pray during devotions, we are showing our children that we have access to a God who is holy, loving, and able to meet our needs. Our family devotions will likely challenge our faith and contribute to our spiritual growth as well.

Family devotions also help us meaningfully connect with our children in the midst of a sometimes hectic world. And they do not have to be elaborate. We can keep them as simple as reading through a passage that applies to issues we face today, reading through a certain book of the Bible together, or reading age-appropriate devotional books. Family devotions can include time for worshiping through music and prayers of thanksgiving, praise, and supplication. The most important part of family devotions is doing them.