Do Your Kids Pray for Themselves?

Teaching your kids to pray- By far the most important thing we can do for our children is to help them develop a real prayer life for themselves.

Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and right way. -1 Samuel 12:23


Does this sound familiar:

"I've figured out why my attitude towards school has changed-it's because I'm praying about it," or "School's the same, but I'm different." Prayer changes things, and prayer changes people!

How about something more like this:

"Pray for me." Then as a parent you ask, "What for?" pleased that your child would ask. "Pray I get first chair in my band section, " they say earnestly. "But you never practice," we protest. "I wouldn't need to pray if I practiced!" they respond.

I think that we would all be more familiar with the statement above.

Samuel made sure the children of Israel knew he was praying for them, and that was important to them. But by far the most important thing we can do for our children is to help them develop a real prayer life for themselves. Somehow we have to help them catch the importance of praying for themselves rather than leaving it all up to Mom and Dad.

My husband and I have heard the common statement mentioned above in the second example and have learned to explain a few prayer rules to our son, but encourage him at the same time. We have also made it a priority to make sure that we are praying for him, but also to make sure that he knows that we pray for him.

One idea that we have been using to help our son to pray for himself, is we purchased a notebook that is just for him. Each day as he prays, we encourage him to write his prayers in this notebook. It makes it easier for him to "journal" his thoughts to the Lord. It does not have to be anything fancy, just something that they can write to Lord in on a daily basis.

 

 My son consider's his Father and I to be the pray-ers of the family and I'm honored that he should think that way; but I know I have failed him if I have not taught him how to become a pray-er in his own right. After all, we will not be around forever!

 

Let's Pray:

 

Lord,

 

Thank You for listening to all of my cares and concerns, and for being an awesome powerful God who answers my prayers. Help me to use each opportunity to let my children know I am praying for them. Open their hearts to the fact that You are always listening for their prayers, ready to bring wonderful change into their lives.

 

Amen

 

With Love,

"B"