- What is prayer? (Galatians 4:4-7)
- When should we pray? (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
- Have you prayed today? About what did you pray?
- For whom or what should you pray?
- How do we pray? (Matthew 6:9-13)
- Break down the Lord’s Prayer/Model Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13 (Text below from NIRV).
- “Our Father”
- Why is God called our Father?
- “In heaven,”
- What is heaven?
- Why is God there?
- “May your name be honored.”
- What is honor?
- How can a name be honored?
- Why should God’s name be honored?
- “May your kingdom come.”
- What is God’s Kingdom?
- How can a kingdom come or go to or from another place?
- “May what you want to happen be done”
- What does God want to happen?
- “On earth as it is done in heaven.”
- How could earth look more like the Kingdom of heaven?
- “Give us today our daily bread.”
- Are we supposed to ask God for pumpernickel and sourdough each day, or does daily bread represent something else?
- What does daily bread represent?
- “Forgive us our sins,”
- What is a sin?
- Why should we ask God to forgive our sins?
- “Just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.”
- Has anyone ever sinned against you?
- How did it make you feel?
- Were you able to forgive them?
- “Keep us from falling into sin when we are tempted.”
- What does it mean to be tempted?
- Why is it important to stay away from temptation?
- “Save us from the evil one.”
- Who/what is the evil one?
- “Our Father”
- Have each person at the table give a “high” and “low” (high point and low point of their day or week) and pray about them as a family.
MAKE PRAYER A ROUTINE
Praying routinely seems simple, but it can be hard and, honestly, awkward to implement at first. Taking time to talk to God is important, though, and finding time to encourage your kids to pray is very important. Make family prayer time a routine at the best time of day for your family's schedule. Before anyone leaves in the morning, before dinner, after homework, before anyone goes to bed or any other consistent time of the day, gather the family together and pray. Take turns praying by having a different family member pray each day. Make sure you are praying when it is your turn and empowering your kids to pray when it is their turn. Don't be shy about going through "highs and lows" or collecting prayer requests, reading a prayer in Scripture, memorizing the Lord's Prayer, holding hands, passing around an object to whoever is praying that night, etc. Find what works for your family and pray without ceasing.
