Pray for your children

We want the best for our children and we want their needs to be met.  Of course, it is fine to make requests of God.  But we also need to spend time in prayer adoring and thanking God, focusing on character and inner strength and divine guidance for our children.

Sometimes there is a particular need or situation in which you want guidance.  You can pray that God will guard their hearts and that they will come to love the Lord.  It is equally important to teach your children to pray as it is to pray over them.  If that sounds mystical, asking your children to pray for wisdom or some “answer from on high,” then think about Samuel.  He was just a boy when God called to him in the night, but with Eli’s nudging he answered God’s call: “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.”  And he went on to become one of Israel’s greatest prophets. (1 Samuel 3:9)

My wife and I try to pray daily for our children.  I do pretty well, but Beth has it down to a fine art.  Most days she will pray through a process for each of them.

- Spiritually- for spiritual growth and love for the Lord to increase

- Physically- for health and safety

- Sexually- for purity in mind and body

- Mentally- for clear minds so they can make wise choices

- Emotionally- for protection from emotional harm

- Relationally- for their friendships and for their future mates

All this prayer takes time and focus and effort, of course; it is a huge investment.  But such an investment will produce eternal rewards in our children’s lives.

Raising Your Kids to Love the Lord