Praying for My Children

Before Big Littles was born, I prayed earnestly. I keep a prayer journal that I write in from time to time, and should use more often, so I still have one particular prayer recorded. I prayed for the safety of the pregnancy and birth, and that prayer was answered differently than I imagined. More than anything, I prayed that I would be able to teach and train this child in the way he should go, keeping Proverbs 22:6 in mind.

Train up a child in the way he should go;

even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Here is an excerpt from my writings from several years ago:

"This child belongs to You, Lord. Thank you for this precious gift. The magnitude of the responsibility is great, Lord, and we do not take it lightly. You have given this child into our care for just a little while. With Your guidance, we will bring this child up in the nurture and admonition of Your word, preparing another willing servant and hard-working solider for Your kingdom. Grant us wisdom to know Your ways, that we may teach them to this child, that this child may also be blessed..."

My prayers for my child were always focused upon two things - 1. Thankfulness 2. Seeking wisdom and guidance for how I would teach this child. When this child was still a wee one, I was speaking with an older, wiser mother of many and fellow preacher's wife. She shared a wonderful piece of wisdom with me. She said that when her oldest child was just a baby, she realized that she had been praying just as I was, always asking for God to help HER make the right choices and decisions, and to do the right things to teach her child. She realized that this prayer was rather one-sided, and that it was not enough. She started praying for God to work upon the heart of her child also, that He would give her a teachable heart, that she would grow to love wisdom and instruction, and that her child would have a heart for the Lord. I'm so thankful that she shared this with me, because it has changed the way I pray for my children.

The task of raising a newborn to adulthood and instilling all of the knowledge and love of God within their hearts, and equipping them with all of the knowledge and skills they need to thrive on their own one day is absolutely daunting. I can only do this with help from the Lord. I pray for my little ones daily.

God, give me strength and wisdom as I undertake this most important task.

God, give my children a heart that longs for You.

James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Isaiah 28:9-10 - To whom will he teach knowledge,
and to whom will he explain the message?
Those who are weaned from the milk,
those taken from the breast?
For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little.