In my previous posts I explored some foundational principles to consider when we pray for our children. These principles have helped my prayer life tremendously and I hope they were also helpful to you. Starting today I will suggest weekly prayer topics that we can include in our prayer time for our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, our neighbor’s children, the children in our communities, our state, our nation and the world.
I would like to suggest that for this week we focus our prayer on Salvation for our children. Later in the post, I will suggest other areas to pray for this week if your children are already saved.
Why start with Salvation? I start with salvation because this is the beginning. Our salvation is what starts our relationship with God; this is what opens the door for all the spiritual blessings that God has promised to us, it ensures our future.
Hebrews 5:9- And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
The bible also tells us in John 14:6 –Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
It is important to realize that regardless of how beautiful, well portioned and intelligent our children are, or how successful they become in life, their basic nature is one of sin. They are a sinner and will need to be saved. Romans 3:23 supports this by saying: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Salvation is freely offered to all men but is conditioned upon repentance and faith in God. People who are not Christians are not considered children of God and as harsh as it may sound they are not entitled to any of the benefits promised to the Children of God. Why am I saying this? It is important because when we pray and ask God to do for them or bless them and totally ignore their salvation we may be praying amiss.
Let me hasten to say whether we pray secretly or openly or get all our neighbors and friends to pray for our children’s salvation we need to remember that this is will only be effective if we first share the word of God with them. Yes before you get mad, let me take you to the word in Romans 10:14 –How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
It is important that we share the word of God with our children. It is our responsibility to tell them about Jesus. If you do not feel adequate enough to do this, then get them in the environment so that they will hear the word. In the meantime, we should pray that their hearts will be opened to receive the word, and that it will take root before it is picked away, by friends, other relatives or situations. If your children are young, you need to start introducing them to God, by reading the bible to them, praying with them, and taking them with you to church. You need to model a life that represents Christ. You need to keep their environment rich with the word of God. Give credit to God for things He is doing in your life, your health, a job, for waking you up on a daily basis, for taking you back and forth in your daily travels. Do not keep God as a stranger from your children.
Some of us try to give our children everything to make them comfortable, to give them things that we ourselves were not privileged to have. We introduce them at an early age to music, sports, arts and so many other extra curricula activities, but when it comes time to take them to church, we allow them to sleep in because they are tired from their hectic week and need to rest to start the week full force on Monday morning. You do not have a monopoly on God, share Him. For those of us whose children are grown, it is not too late, when they visit or when they call find a way to share the word of God with them during your conversation.
If your children are saved please pray that they will remain faithful and on fire for God. If they are saved but have backslidden then you can focus your prayer for their return to the passion and love they first had. We will discuss this in more detail at a later time.