For This Child I Prayed...

"...pour out thine heart like water
before the face of the Lord:
lift up thy hands toward him
for the life of thy young children..."
~ Lamentations 2:19


As Mother's Day was approaching and has passed,
I was thinking what a joy and blessing
it is to be a mother
and was also reflecting on
what a great responsibility we have as mothers.
I am always reminded by our Heavenly Father,
though teaching, training, nurturing,
discipling, loving them
are our joyful responsibilies,
we cannot forget the most important
responsibility of all...
Praying for our precious ones.
We can devote our lives teaching and training
and stepping up to our parental duties,
but without prayer, it will be done in vain.
Though we can fill our children's minds and lives
with God's Word and principles,
only HE can change their hearts.
Intercessory prayer is vital for us and our children.
Our parenting efforts are in vain otherwise.

The Lord shows me this to be true
when I start slacking in this area.
When it seems they are 'forgetting'
what they have been taught...
When it seems they are having more of a
rebellious heart or disobedient spirit...
When it seems there is
more complaining and contention...
When it seems I do not know
what is going on with my child's heart...
The Lord gently reminds me
of my duty and privilege to lift
my children up in prayer...
His children up in prayer.

Though it seems no one
could possibly love them as I do...
I know that their Heavenly Father loves them more
than I could ever possibly imagine.
What a blessing it is that we can
take them to the Lord in prayer!

I recently came across, again, a 'prayer plan'
that I've had for some time and
that I wanted to share.
One of the greatest things we can do
when praying for our children
is to pray Scripture over them.
The 'plan' below has the references listed
but it is our responsibility to seek God's Word
and pray it over our children.
This plan has been a helpful addition to me
in praying for the precious blessings
that the Lord has entrusted us with...




Things to Pray for Your Children

1. That they will know Christ as Savior early in life
(Psalm 63:1; 2 Timothy 3:15)

2. That they will fear the Lord & serve Him
(Deuteronomy 6:13)

3. That they will have a hatred for sin.
(Psalm 97:10)

4. That they will be caught when guilty
& gratefully receive discipline
(Psalm 119:71)

5. That they will accept responsibility for their sins
(Psalm 51:1-4,9,10)

6. That they will have quick, repentant hearts
(Psalm 51:1-3)

7. That they will be teachable & able to take correction
(Isaiah 54:13;Proverbs 13:1)

8. That they will be protected from the evil one
in each area of their lives:
spiritually, emotionally, intellectually, & physically
(John 17:15; 1 Thess.5:22-23; Matthew 6:13)

9. That they will have a responsible attitude
and excellent spirit in all their ways & relationships
(Daniel 6:3)

10. That their lives will bear the fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22,23)

11. That they will live by the Spirit
and not gratify their flesh
(Galatians 5:16)

12. That they will honor their parents
so all will go well with them
(Ephesians 6:1,2)

13. That they will respect those in authority over them
(Rom.13:1; Ex.20:12; 1 Thess.5:12-13; Eph.6:1-3,5-7)

14. That they will desire the right kind of friends
and be protected from the wrong friends
and those who would corrupt them
(Proverbs 10,11,19)

15. That they will be kept from the wrong mate
and saved for the right one
(2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

16. That they, as well as those they marry,
will be kept pure until marriage
(1 Corinthians.6:18-20)

17. That they will learn to totally submit to God
and actively resist Satan in all circumstances
(James 4:7)

18. That they will trust in the Lord
for direction in their lives
(Proverbs 3:5,6)

19. That they will be singlehearted
and wholly committed to the Lord Jesus Christ
(Romans 12:1-2)

20. That they will be hedged by God
so that they cannot find their way to wrong people
or wrong places and that the wrong people
cannot find their way to them.
(Hosea 2:6)


"I have no greater joy than to hear
that my children walk in truth."
~ 3 John 1:4

(I did not compose this list,
nor do I not recall where I found it.
Therefore, I apologize for not being able
to give credit where due.)