The Unknown
Consider how the wild flowers grow.
They do not labor or spin… Luke 12:27
I remember crying as I visited child care centers for my then 9 month old baby. Having always desired to be a stay at home mom, my heart broke at the thought of leaving my child with strangers.
God graciously provided an in-home child care that was more comfortable option for me at that time. When that sitter moved out of town, God provided another in-home provider just days before the teaching year began.
As divorced parents, we send our children into another home where we do not always know who is watching them or what is occurring. This is so hard as a parent, especially when the home’s values may not align with ours.
Even if we have sole custody we may send our children into a school environment that does not always align with our values.
We are not powerless. We can cover our children in prayer.
Not a tear you shed goes unseen...
God saw my tears as I placed my child in another’s care. God sees your tears too.
You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8
Not a prayer you pray is wasted…
In fact, God loves to hear your prayers. In Psalm 141:2, David petitions God,
May my prayer be set before You like incense.
Revelation 8:4 says…
The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people,
ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured
them out.
The Revelation Verse by Verse Commentary by David Guzik reads, “Prayer and incense are often associated in the Bible. The idea is just as incense is precious, pleasant, and drifts to heaven, so do our prayers.”
We are aware that all our prayers may not be answered immediately or in the way we wish, but once we pray a prayer, it remains. I like to say that although I may not leave my children a great monetary inheritance, I am leaving them a wealth of prayers that have reached God’s ears.
Covering Your Children In Prayer
I would like to provide you with a scripture prayer to begin with as well as a structure for your future prayers based on 2 Thessalonians 2:16-3:5. Insert your child’s names in the blanks.
As we are sending our children into secular environments, “for not everyone has faith”, rest in the fact “God is faithful”.
Lord, may You Yourself, our God and Father who loves _____and by Your grace gives _____ eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage his/her heart and strengthen him/her in every good deed and word.
Lord, may he/she be delivered from wicked and evil men for not everyone has faith.
But, God, You are faithful.
Strengthen and protect _____ from the evil one.
May _____ continue to do the things he/she have learned from Your Word
May You, Lord direct _____ heart into Your Love and Christ’s perseverance.
Praying Holistically for Our Children
Based on these verses, we can structure our prayers to pray holistically for our child.
- Pray that your child is strengthened inwardly (soul).
- Pray that your child is protected outwardly.
- Pray that your child grows spiritually in the Lord.
Reflections
- Grab a notebook and copy the above verses with your child’s name. Add your own prayers and verses as the year progresses.
- If you have not prayerfully dedicated your parenting to God, click here for a printable dedication prayer or visit the resource page.
Today I am going to link you to the Paleo Running Mama’s website.
In our family we call these “everything muffins”. You can feel good about putting these in your child’s lunchbox or serving them for breakfast.