Praying for Children, Part 1

Since our family has been struggling with health issues including Carly's hospitalization last week, neither Larry nor I have been able to post here. Nothing too serious and she's on the mend. It has been, however, a time for a lot of prayer and reminders of the value of praying friends. In Carly's Care Page today I wrote:

"...the prayers of compassionate, genuine, tenacious friends availeth much and preach deeply into our hearts of God's love, power and mercy towards us."

The Christmas after Carly was born, I gave Larry the book "Praying the Bible for Your Children" because I had also been appreciating David and Heather Kopp's "Praying the Bible for Your Marriage." Both have been updated and reprinted since then and I'm very thankful because I believe them to be important prayer tools. Valued resources in our own library, I got to thinking I will quote a series of prayers for the next several days as a way to give us some time to regroup as a family while continuing to keep us all on our knees for the children in our lives and the marriages we hold together before the Lord.

Speak, Lord — I'm Listening...

Based on 1 Samuel 1:3-8-10

O Lord God,

Please call my children to You by name as You called Samuel and as You have called me (Isa. 43:1). Thank You that You promise to knock patiently on the door of each heart in this family (Rev. 3:20). Thank You that You pursue us (Ps. 139:5)! You did it for me—do the same for each of my children.

Yes, pursue them, Lord. Keep calling them—as You did with Samuel—until each child has said, "Yes, Lord. I'm listening."

Your promise of salvation is for children of all ages—in fact, for everyone who answers Your call (Acts 2:39; Rom. 10:13). Thank You for Your promise that as my children hear You and believe in You, they will pass from death to life (John 5:24)!

May I be like Eli, who encouraged Samuel to say yes to You. May I never hinder my children from responding to You (Mark 10:14). May I never say, "Not now, honey." Or, "You're too young."

And far beyond the first "Yes, Lord!" may my children listen carefully to Your voice and answer quickly as long as they live.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

From "Praying the Bible for Your Children" by David & Heather Kopp.

Coming up tomorrow..."Sweeter Than Honey" and a prayer from Psalm 19.