Praying God’s Word for Our Children

I’ve had a lot of pivotal moments in my life of faith, and learning how to pray using scripture was a critical one. It wasn’t really a pivotal “moment” in my case, it took a little longer. Although going to church every week throughout my childhood and adolescence was deeply formative, there was about a two-year learning/awakening time during seminary when I started using the word of God to pray. Through the Holy Spirit, I began to experience the living word of God, alive and active, and It changed my life forever. Praying this way has blessed me beyond measure ever since, as I’ve tried to follow Jesus, my Good Shepherd.

In one of the stories in the book, there’s a powerful moment when the main character, encouraged by his mother, begins using the word of God to pray during a family crisis. You’ll have to wait for the book to find out what happens, but it’s pretty spectacular!

Using the living and active word of God to pray for our children isn’t anything new. But my prayer is that these simple scripture-crafted prayers help or encourage you as you pray for all the little, medium and grown up people you love. I’ve been praying for kids, teens and their families for the last 30 years at New City Kids, and for my own children for the last 24 years — and could absolutely fill a whole other book with the stories of how God has answered those prayers!

My heart for I Love to Tell the Story is for countless children to come to know Jesus and his love. May it be so, Lord Jesus!

Colossians 1 Prayer

O Lord our God, beautiful Savior, Firstborn over all creation, you are before all things, and in you all things hold together. There is no one like you, O God! We praise and thank you Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for your faithful love for us, and for hearing the prayers of our hearts for our children:

We pray for (child or children’s names), that they may have faith in you, Christ Jesus, and for their hearts to be filled with the love and hope that comes from knowing you. By your power, Holy Spirit, we ask you to fill them with the knowledge of your will through all wisdom and understanding, so that they may grow to live a life worthy of you, Lord, and please you in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of you, O God.

Strengthen (child or children’s names) with all power according to your glorious might, so that they may have great endurance and patience, and let them give you joyful thanks. We thank you Father, and ask you to qualify our children to share in the inheritance of your holy people, because of your grace. Bring them into your kingdom of light. Rescue them from the dominion of darkness, and bring them into the kingdom of the Son you love. In Jesus’ name, give them your beautiful redemption, the forgiveness of their sins.

We ask you to reconcile (child or children’s names) through Christ’s physical body. That through his death they would be presented holy in your sight, without blemish and free from accusation. Help them continue in their faith, established and firm, and unmoved from the hope held out to them in the gospel. Help them to know you Jesus, our Savior, fully; help them to know you are in them Lord Christ, the hope of glory! In your beautiful name we pray,

Amen.