Thursday, August 23, 2007

Join me in praying for our children

Many years ago when my oldest daughter was entering 1st grade and I felt completely unqualified to be her teacher, I took this prayer from Stormie Omartian's book, The Power of a Praying Parent and adapted it to meet the needs of my child. I now pray this prayer over all four of my school age children and can easily pray it for my two year old as well.

Praying for our children as with all prayer does not have to be eloquent or fancy. It is simply acknowledging our great dependence on God to care for, train, and teach the children He has blessed us with.


"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 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.
Deuteronomy 6:4-7



Lord,
Today is the first day of a new school year. Thank you that my children are healthy and excited about a new year. Thank you for the provision of new pencils, glue sticks, shiny new shoes and the many blessings you have provided for our family.

I pray that each child will have a deep reverence for You and Your ways. May each child hide Your Word in their heart like a treasure. Give them a good mind, a teachable spirit, and an ability to learn. Instill in them a desire to attain knowledge and skill, and may they have joy in the process. Above all, I pray that they will be taught by You, for Your Word says that when our children are taught by You they are guaranteed peace. You have also said, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)

I pray they will respect and obey the wisdom of their dad and I and be willing to be taught by us. May they also have the desire to be taught by the teachers You bring into their life. I know that you handpick each one, Lord, and may they be godly people from whom each of my children can learn.
Help them to excel in school for your glory. Make the pathways of learning smooth and not something with which they must strain and struggle. Connect everything in each of their minds the way it is supposed to be so that they have clarity of thought, organization, good memory, and strong learning ability.

I say to each of them according to Your Word, "Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge" (Proverbs 23:12)
"May the Lord give you understanding in all things" (2 Timothy 2:7)

I pray today as I have prayed everyday that each of my children will hunger and thirst for Your righteousness. Go before them, protect them, watch over them through each day of this new school year. Thank you Lord, for each of my children, Lauren (sophomore), Kelsey (sixth grade), Theo (fifth grade), Hunter (1st grade), and of course the two year old at home. Give me patience and understanding as I teach his little hands to play softly, watch his little feet as they run through the house, and help him to learn to sit and listen as I read.

Lord, thank you for the awesome privilege of being a mom. May my children learn, while growing older that You are the source for all beauty, all knowledge, and all wisdom. This I ask in your most worthy name. Amen.

6 comments:

Natalie Joy said...

Our children face such crazy things at school, but I feel confident in knowing that God is with them and we have raised them well.

Anonymous said...

We're not starting school today, but I join you in prayer for the kids. In all my years of teaching the kids, prayer has been my greatest teaching tool!

Lisa Spence said...

Yes, and amen!

Judy said...

I agree. Prayer is a powerful gift to bless our children with. I join you in praying for all of our children, regardless of where or how they are being educated, that the foundation of their wisdom be from God, and that he will give them wisdom to make wise choices and to never compromise their relationship with Him.

Linda said...

That is a beautiful prayer Chris, and I pray in agreement with you for your children, my grandchildren and the children and grandchildren of our fellow bloggers. I pray they will grow in wisdom and grace and love for the Lord and His word. Blessings and protection on them as they begin this new school year.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful prayer...