Praying for your Children -- from Head to Toe

When my kids were small, I like to sing with them. One of the songs that we would sing was “O Be Careful”. It is a little song talking about each part of their body and reminding them to be careful how they use it because Jesus is always watching. It teaches them self-control. (Find it HERE.) Thinking about this cute jingle, it made me consider how this is exactly how we are to pray for our children — from head to toe! As we begin each morning, ask God to out a hedge around our children and for them to have victory in their thoughts (their minds), speech (their mouths), and actions (their hands and feet). In this way we will be praying for them piece by piece — from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet.

Using this method, you can start praying at the top of their heads by focusing on their minds, followed by their eyes, ears, mouth, heart, hands, and stopping down at their feet! The lists that you see below will be a framework to guide your prayer. This is by no means all of the verses that focus on these aspects of your child’s life, but they are to be used as a springboard to get you thinking about the kinds of things to pray for. Praying Scripture is powerful. Print out the guide at the end of this article so you can keep these ideas in your Bible or journal or another place where you keep prayer requests.

1. Their Minds

Take every thought captive to be obedient to Christ (2 Cor 10:5)
Renew their minds (Romans 12:2)
Think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent (Philippians 4:8)
Remember who they are in Christ (Ephesians 1)
Know the Bible (Psalm 119:11, 2 Timothy 3:16, Colossians 3:16)

2. Ears

Listen to the voice of God through His Word (John 10:27)
Quick to listen to others (James 1:9)
Seek and listen to wise counsel before acting (Proverbs 12:15)

3. Eyes

Keep their eyes on the Lord (Psalm 121:1-2)
Look at people as God sees them (I Samuel 16:7)
Shield their eyes from wickedness (Psalm 101:3)

4. Mouth

Build others up (I Thess 5:11, Ephesians 4:29)
Speak the Truth (Proverbs 12:22, Ephesians 4:17, Proverbs 12:18)
Tell others about Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10:15, Romans 1:16, Matthew 5:16))
Keep their tongue speaking evil in any way (Psalm 34:13)

5. Heart

Place their faith in God alone for salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 3, Galatians 2:16)
Be pure before God (Psalm 51:10)
Give compassionate care to all people (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12)
Love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-38)
Guard their heart because everything they do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23)
Give with generosity (2 Corinthians 9:7, Deuteronomy 15:10)

6. Hands

Be helpful and useful (I John 3:18, Matthew 25:40, Isaiah 58:10)
Seeing needs and filling them (Proverbs 31:20)
Work diligently for the Lord (Colossians 3:23, Proverbs 16:3, Psalm 90:17)
Lift up their hands in prayer to God and in worship of God alone (Psalm 141:2, I Timothy 2:8, Ephesians 6:18, Psalm 134:2, Psalm 63:4, Mark 12:30-31)

7. Feet

Walk by faith and obedience (2 Cor 5:7, Matthew14:22-33, Ephesians 2:8-10, Ephesians 6:1)
Tell others about Jesus (Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15)
Flee from temptation (I Corinthians 10:13, James 4:7)

What a privilege to we have to be able to pray on behalf of our precious children! By praying for them from the top of their heads to the bottom of their feet, we cover them as they go throughout their day. Let’s use these Scriptures daily to bring our children before the Lord!

Download this printable now to help you pray more effectively for your children.

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