How I Pray for My Children

I admit it. I have sometimes found it difficult to pray for my children.

Not difficult because I don't want to. Difficult because it seemed that my prayers became redundant. It felt that I was reciting the same wrote lines day after day.

I ask my children each morning, "How can I pray for you today?".  The practice of asking this morning question has helped to develop my prayers for them.

 The last two sentences they hear as they get out of the car are "I love you" and "I'll be praying for you today".

 However, on the days they didn't have something out of the ordinary happening, it seemed to be the same redundant words.

I have now added something to my routine. It has deeply enriched my prayers for them. I have even started a journal for each of them so they will be able to someday look back and see exactly what I was praying for them.

When I first started I had a new focus each day. Somehow that made it seem like I was glossing over the potential depth of what it was that I was praying for them. I have since changed to a new focus every week.

So, what is the focus of my prayers?  How do I pray for my children?

I am praying Scripture for and over my children. Each week I choose a new Scripture and pray it every day. I choose one for each child each week and write it out in the journal I have for them.

I have found that by the end of the week, not only have I prayed it, it has somehow become quite personalized for that child. I also have the idea of the verse memorized after a week of saying it each morning and thinking of the truth of it specific to my child throughout the day.

Each morning as I gather the items for my quiet time, I get their Scripture prayer journals as well. I open to the personalized Scripture that week and start my day off with focused thoughts and prayers for them.

It never ceases to amaze me how often events in their life seem almost orchestrated to fit so perfectly into the verse I have selected to pray for them that week. Coincidence?... I think not.

(Re-post from the archives)

Do you pray consistently for your children?  For others?  Do you pray Scripture to pray for them? 

Would you like to read about and understand better how to pray Scripture for others?  For yourself?