Then I asked myself what I could do for my children? Have I been a prayerful mother to the munchkins as well? Frankly, I am guilty... Extremely guilty. Then I chanced upon an article this morning which hit the nail right on its head, and I can't resist sharing it here. Below is an extract from thoughts about God.
Praying For Children
Lord, I prayed for this child, and You have granted me what I asked of You. 1 Samuel 1:27
The assignment to pray for our children is absolutely essential to raise up a generation that will withstand the enemy’s attack upon them (Gen. 22:17, Psa. 12 7:5).
These Scripture-based prayers are dedicated to this most important responsibility and privilege of a parent or grandparent.
Lord, what do You want for my children? Guide me by Your Spirit as I pray for my children according to Your will. I release them to You so that You can accomplish Your will for their lives. I will not try to live my life over through them. Keep me from binding them by my needs, wants, and ambitions for them. Get me out of Your way, so that You can work the life of Christ in them and give them Your best. Give me the grace to wait on You, for Your timing is perfect.
I pray that my children would:
- Receive and love Jesus as their Savior
- Commit their lives to make Jesus Lord and be filled with Your Spirit
- Know the true and living God intimately and cherish and apply all Your names
- Learn to pray and praise
- Know who they are in Christ
- Be protected from the evil one by the blood of Jesus
- Receive the love of God the Father
- Love the word of God
- Learn to hate sin and love holiness, righteousness, and the fear of the Lord
- Grow up into maturity in the Lord
- Glorify God in their bodies as Your temple
- Respect those in authority
- Have healthy, edifying, satisfying, wise friendships
- Know the truth and renew their minds in God’s Word
- Walk wisely in the ways and wisdom of God
- Have the joy of the Lord
- Seek to please God, not self, and serve others
- Learn who the enemy is and resist him victoriously
- Maintain their first-love devotion to Jesus
- Find the godly life partner that God is preparing, a mate who will complement them in their obedient walk with the Lord
Note: Details of all 20 prayer requests above are elaborated in the website.
I seriously think I have done well thus far in NOT trying to live my live over through En & Xuan, and I pray I will continue to keep this in mind as they grow older. It is also my wish that they will develop individuality and not conform themselves to standards of this world. My hope for them is they'll turn out to be wise children of a chosen generation, not Gen-X or Y as "pigeon-holed" by the modern society. But above and beyond the things mentioned, I ask the Lord to continuously guide me in raising En & Xuan in a manner He desires, and grant me the wisdom to manage them as they enter into the pre-school phase in the months ahead. Amen.
Have you been praying for your kids? If you haven't, then pray with me!
