Setting up a Prayer Table at Home

As we continue to experience self-isolation and the need for physical distancing, many of us are likely feeling like our homes are having to be “all things to all people all the time” - remote work, domestic needs, children’s needs, etc. It can feel - legitimately - like our space is crowding in around us.

In the midst of this, here is a thought: on Sundays children at Little T come into a space where there is a weekly gathering at a Prayer Table for hearing Scripture, praying, singing and reflecting together. It is a habitual signal for them of entering into a different kind of space - a space of quiet with others, of hearing from God, of hearing God’s promises and being confident of His promised presence.

Consider finding a corner, or simply part of a surface in a common area and setting up a prayer “place” for your family. It can become a physical, visual and sensory focus for you during those times that you might gather to pray or read the Bible together. For the children, it will be a natural and visceral reminder of God’s presence and love for them and, in practical terms, it can make it simpler to gather together.

Nuts and bolts: keep it simple! The children set the prayer tables on Sundays, so involved them in the process. An attractive cloth as a base (children may expect it to be white, as white is the color of the Easter season), upon which you have a candle and a Bible. You may want to add something like a cross as a visual focus. Older children may want to write out prayer cards or Scripture cards to display alongside the Bible. When you gather to read or pray, have your child light the candle first and then also extinguish it when you are finished (they are responsible for this on Sundays).