P = Prayer

Yesterday we talked about preparing not-of-this-world kids for living on a out-of-control planet. For the next seven days I will talk about how we can PREPARE them.

P is the first letter in the word prepare and it stands for prayer. Jesus tells His father in verse nine of John 17, “I pray for them…” Specifically in this chapter He prays that they will know Him, that He will sanctify them and that they will have His joy fulfilled in themselves.

Praying for our children is as essential as giving them food to eat each day. The supernatural world that surrounds them is alive and moving in their lives – whether they realize it or not. It is in prayer that we can have more impact on them than any other way. I once heard when I was growing up, “Until you have prayed, you have done nothing. Once you have prayed, you can do no more.”

There are so many things to pray for on our kid’s behalf: their education, their attitudes, their obedience, their friends, their bodies, their protection, their future…the list goes on and on and can feel overwhelming. I use a book “The Power of A Praying Parent” by Stormie Omartian as a way to help me to cover the many areas of their lives.

Recently on a small soundbite by Dennis Rainey he said it wasn’t enough to pray for our kids; we need to pray with our kids so that they hear us praying for them. I was so convicted by this. One day Madison said to me, “When I grow up, I want to be just like Grandma because she reads her Bible and prays every day.” I defensively said, “I do too!” to which she replied, “I didn’t know that.” Well, of course she didn’t know that…I do it while she is at school! I have only recently gone back to praying over my middle school daughter, Mariah at night when she is going to bed. We had quit this a couple of years ago when I ceased to tuck her in. I realize that she needs to hear her mommy praying for her too!

Prayer changes us. It softens our hearts towards our children, fills us with compassion for them, and helps us to unload the burdens we carry for them. Prayer is not just for them – it is for us too!

Today, pray something for your child that maybe you have never prayed for before: their spouse one day, their future occupation, that they would grow up to use all of the giftings the Lord has given them or that they would fall passionately in love with Him. Ask the Lord how your child needs prayer for today and then wait to hear the answer.

Lynn

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