Because children are one of our greatest blessings, praying daily for them should be part of our routine. Taking our children to the throne of God to gain His wisdom and peace is vital in lives of a Biblically-Minded Family. Keep reading to understand why we should pray, what we should pray, and tips for prayer.
Why should you pray daily for your children?
When you think about all of the assets that you have, what to do you think of? Your home, cars, or money you have in the bank or in a retirement fund? You spend time caring for and upgrading your home, changing the oil and replace car filters. You manage money and investments correctly. But I believe that our children are our greatest and most important assets. Therefore, you should be praying daily for your children.
Children are special assets from God to us. They are our one of our greatest earthly gifts. Spending time teaching them and praying for them must be a high priority. We must tap into Heavenly resources for all of God’s wisdom and power on behalf of our children. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given him.” I need that generous wisdom to parent my children, don’t you? So if you aren’t praying daily for your children, who is? They were given to you to steward, and that requires taking them to the Father on a daily basis.
No one thinks about your children more than you do. No one loses sleep over what your children are going through like you do. No one knows the specific needs of your children more than you do. So who can be a more effective prayer warrior for your children than YOU?
But with all of the world’s cares, it seems that we just don’t get around to praying for our kids, though. There are meetings to attend, toilets to clean, mouths to feed, cars to wash, diapers to change, errands to run, jobs to fill, and laundry to do. But Mother Theresa said, “If you’re too busy to pray… you’re too busy.”
How could you not go to your Heavenly Father to ask Him for wisdom to parent well, for salvation of your children’s souls, for protection from the Evil One, for courage for them to live according to the Word of God, for their future spouse to be growing in their faith, for wisdom for them to make decisions on a daily basis and in future plans, and more? Let’s look in more detail what to pray for.
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What should you pray for?
1. Pray for their salvation.
For those of us who know and love the Lord we desire for our children to also walk with God. But that doesn’t happen by accident, though. We must diligently model what faith looks like. We must be praying daily for our children and their hearts to be soft to hear and accept the Message. In a world that is anti-God and anti-Bible, our message of Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ must be clear and undistracted and coupled with prayer. There is no greater thing to pray for than for our children to make the eternal decision to follow Jesus. Are you praying daily for your children’s salvation? If you aren’t praying for your children to come to know Jesus as their Savior, who is?
2. Pray for them to grow in the knowledge of God.
As our children learn more about God, they will also grow in their obedience to Him. Learning about the power, splendor, wisdom, and love of God compels us love Him more and makes us want to please Him by doing what He asks. We don’t want our children to merely know the Bible (learn more here) or know about God. We want them to KNOW God in a personal and real way. This won’t happen by accident. We need wisdom to lead our children in studying the Bible to know God more. Are you praying for growth in their knowledge of God? If you aren’t praying for your children to grow in their knowledge of God, who is?
3. Pray for them to grow in godly leadership.
As my children get older, I feel the need to pray for them more. They are out on their own more where I am not with them to lead, guide, and correct them: attending a local community college, youth group, music lessons, or football practices. As they face many temptations and situations, I pray that the Lord will use what they have learned in the safety of our walls to be a godly Christian leader. I pray that they will boldly tell others about Christ, that they will stand up for what is true and right, that they will defend outsiders, that they will shine the light of Jesus in every situation that they encounter.
I don’t do this because I am worried about all of the situations that will come. There is no way I could know what will come up in their lives. But I pray because I know they have a secret weapon to tap into if they choose to. I know that the Holy Spirit within them gives them power, and I want them to tap into that power to live… really live… and live victoriously. Are you praying for growth in their leadership? If you aren’t praying for them to grow in their godly leadership, who is?
4. Pray for their future spouse.
You may think that this is too premature, but before you know it, your children will be interested in the opposite sex and wanting to date. Starting to pray for God to be working in the future spouse’s life is important. We want for their future husbands and wives what we are praying for now. We want them to know Jesus, know His Word, and live it daily. If you aren’t praying for their future spouse, who is?
What are some good tips for praying daily for my children?
1. Pray for them in birth order.
Sometimes as I am praying for my children I can get distracted and only pray for the most pressing needs, but this will leave out the children who don’t have a real need at the moment. I try to always pray for them in birth order, so I just don’t forget to pray for each daily. This keeps my heart and mind focused, even though sometimes the list I have for one child may be far longer than the others.
2. Keep a list
Use a notebook or an app on your phone to keep a list of the things that you want to pray for. You may have similar requests for all of your children at the top of the page and then specific requests under each child individually. You can also use this place to write down answers to prayer in each child’s life. I love having reminders of how I see the Lord working in their lives. Including a list of areas you have seen growth can be a huge encouragement to your heart.
3. Pray!
You don’t have to set aside 30 minutes each day to pray — even though that would be fabulous. Starting with five or ten minutes is better than nothing at all. You can even pray while folding laundry, doing the dishes, cooking, or going for a walk. When you connect your prayer time with another activity, it is more likely that you will actually do it. If you take a walk each day, spend the first half or so talking to God about your children. Remember… you can also pray throughout the day. This is what “Pray without ceasing” means. Take your children to God regularly and as you see a need arise.
4. Tell them you are praying for them.
Encourage your children by telling them you are praying for them. Sometimes I will let my children know specifically what I have been praying while other times I only tell them I am praying in general. It can be a powerful testimony in their lives when we share the areas that we are praying for. What if you told your son you have been praying for him to be a godly leader on his baseball team? What if you told your daughter that you have been praying wisdom and discernment in the friendships she is developing now that she is in middle school?
5. Pray with your children.
Prayer is a powerful tool in the lives of our children. When we pull them away from the others and sit them down to have a special prayer time one on one, it can have a huge influence in their lives. They feel special and honored that you would pray for them. They understand your love for them and for God. The prayer speaks truth to them in ways that regular conversations may not. Prayer like this truly has created a bond between my children and me. I love wrapping my arms around my children, holding them tightly, and pray out loud for them. It draws us closer together as they see how deeply I care for them… so much that I take their concerns and my hopes for them to their Creator.
“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:15-16
As you have read, praying daily for your children is one of the most important things you can do for them and one of the most influential things you can do for your whole family. These children are a gift from the Lord and require us to go to their Creator daily on their behalf. What a special privilege we have to pray for our children daily!
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