Have A Family New Year Candlelight Service
At the turn of each year, my father would gather all of us children, and one by one, he’d lay hands on our head and speak a blessing for us. See “A Father’s Blessing”.
My wife and I have continued with this tradition and have expanded it to a candlelight ceremony, but on the night before the New Year. Just before midnight, we’d all sit together in a circle, in a fairly dimly lit room, with one big candle lit up on a small table in the middle of the group, which represented Jesus. And each one was holding a small candle, but not yet lit up. (You could put the bigger candle in a large bowl of water, and as the smaller ones are lit up, they could be place to float in the bowl)
And we took turns sharing heart-felt lessons from the past year, along with our respective resolutions for the year ahead. When it came to your turn, you’d first light up your candle from the big candle (Jesus), then share what you had prepared to say, and afterwards place your lit candle next to the big one.
We’d all have to cover 3 main points.
- What you’re most thankful for; something meaningful that has affected you for good or has brought you to a great victory.
- Your greatest desire and resolution for the year to come; what do you want God to do in your life?
- What Bible verse that you would want to claim for yourself for the coming year.
When they were little, we, as parents, went to each child during the day of the 31st of December, and helped them individually to prepare for this candlelight service, to formulate what they wanted to share. They each wrote those three points on a piece of paper which they themselves kept for years, usually in the back of their Bible. That yearly candlelight service is the one thing that our children have the fondest memories of.
It accomplished a few wonderful things in the hearts of each of our kids. It made them all take stock of their spiritual progress, and emphasized all the wonderful things God was doing for each one, during the course of each year.
At the end of the candlelight service, I, as the father, would take a moment to lay hands on each child and bless them. The blessing of a father is something that was always considered very important in the Bible. And, again, our children would remember and cherish those blessings.
Remember, the greatest responsibility ever given to man by God, bigger than the one of the pastor, was given to a parent; to raise their children in the ways of the Lord. If you ever wanted to be a great missionary, if you’re a parent, you are God’s #1 missionary, because you have the greatest and most important responsibility towards your children, to raise them in the ways of the Lord and to guard them from the world, so that they can stand strong for the truth, and to lead others towards the Lord.
That assignment is one of the most important in the world today.
? Have a HAPPY New Year.
PS : As a parent, you may consider gathering the friends of your children and make this ceremony a tradition in the neighborhood, so they too partake of this heart moving moment. It makes for a powerful testimony.