Are You Praying for Your Children?

Are you praying for your children?

What about their friends?

Future spouse?

A few months ago there was an accident.  A local girl died when her car hydroplaned off the road. While I knew this girl, I wasn't close to her.  She was the same age as my daughter.  I was shocked at how much her death bothered me.  Questions swirled in my mind.  Was she saved?  What if it had been my daughter?

I took my questions to the Lord.  

Parents, are you praying for your children?  Do you have that urge, deep down, to cover your children in prayer? 

Let me ask you, if you don't pray for them, who do you think will?

There is a lovely lady at my church that is a die-hard prayer warrior.  I hope to be like her when I grow up (lol).  She calls out our church family by name in prayer.  She prays for the children and youth.  We need more of her!  She knows what most of us are too lazy to admit:  Without prayer, most of these young people have no hope of a relationship with Christ.

I don't know why that young girl died before her time, alone, with her whole life in front of her.  Her family and friends are devastated.  I don't know if she was saved. I wonder though, was anyone praying for her?  Was anyone bringing that young woman, little more than a girl, before the Lord? 

Fellow Christians, we lament over the rate of our youth walking away from church, from Christ.  And while I believe there is so much we can do to show Christ to these young people, where is our heart?

If we believe that prayer is powerful, as the Bible states, then are we praying for our children?

I think back to my "other" kids, those young ones that were always around my house with my girls; The best friends, the ones I fed and stuffed into my mini-van for youth night.  Where are they now?  Are they serving Christ?

Truthfully... No.

The excuses abound.  They were hurt.  They went away to college.  They "got" a boyfriend. These kids were on fire for Christ once. They may have come from homes where the parents weren't Christians, but they thought they could stand strong... until they didn't.

I'm ashamed to say that I was saddened and frustrated, felt like all the times I took the kids to church couldn't compete with unsaved families and all that was at the schools and in their social circles.  In my reasoning and frustration, I didn't pray.  

When did my actions or the actions of culture have more power than Christ? The answer?   When, as Christians, we stop praying... As I did.

I pray for all my children daily now.  I pray for their future spouses.  I pray for the influences in their lives, including their friends.  I pray for my "lost ones", the ones that have drifted away from faith in Christ. 

No longer is prayer about crisis times or some lazy "bless them" prayer.  Now, it is about bringing my children before Jesus and placing every aspect of their lives in His capable hands. 

There is a freedom in giving your children to Christ.  

So let me ask you again... Are you praying for your children?

Photos of my children, my prayer go out for them