preserve this forever in the intentions of the heart of Your people, and direct their heart to You;
and give to my son Solomon a perfect heart to keep Your commandments,
Your testimonies and Your statutes, and to do them all,
and to build the temple, for which I have made provision.”
(1 Chronicles 29:18-19, NASB)
David prayed these words for the people of Israel and particularly for his son Solomon. He did not ask for riches, power, success, or fame.
With the start of a new school year upon us, reading David’s words, I realized this is a prayer for us all. Every parent should be praying for their children, and grandchildren, asking God for the same. May we be faithful to pray our children will have lives which reflect:
- Obedience. May our children want to obey God. Prayer can change their wants and direct them in their choices.
- Love. May their love for God never diminish but ever increase. Think about that. May our children always love God, first and faithfully.
- Wholeheartedness. May they have a wholehearted desire to obey Him. May their hearts be full out for God, undivided and undistracted.
- Purposeful. May they do everything necessary to complete the purposes He has for them to do this school year, and in their lifetime.
Can we even imagine the power that would be unleashed in the lives of our kids if we prayed for them like this?
Today may we be faithful to pray for our children. We need to pray for the children in their classes, on their sports teams, in their dance classes, and sitting at their lunch tables.
As the new school year is upon us, let’s commit to pray daily and see the lives of our children and grandchildren changed.
“The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
(James 5:16b, NASB)
Reflection:
How do you pray for your children and grandchildren? Are there specific verses you have prayed over their lives?
Photo by Mel Poole on Unsplash
These are great things to pray. A couple of my favorites:
ReplyDeleteEphesians 3:14-19: "For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (It's interesting that the verse about "him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" is in this context.)
Colossians 1:9-12: "We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light."
Yes, these are great verses to also pray for our families. Blessings to you and yours, Barbara.
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