I went to a MOPS meeting today and the Youth Pastor discussed how we can better pray for our children. To start the discussion he took a handful of journals out of his bookbag. This hit home for me. For years now, I too, have had a stack of prayer journals, but this busy Mommy hasn't picked up the pen lately. The YP gave us an excellent tool for prayer...Word's God, duh! God has written us a love letter...how eager are we to read it?? How often do we share it with our children?? Just recently I talked with Eric about using the Bible verses he learns at AWANA...in prayer. In Colossians 1:3 Paul says, "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you." I quoted this verse that night when we prayed for our AWANA leaders. He said, "Hey I didn't know you could say Bible verses when you pray." So Eric's bedtime prayer was, "Dear Jesus, We thank you for today. We pray that I have no bad dreams and that I have a fun day at school tomorrow. And that John 3:16...That God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life. And we pray for..." I thought it was so funny how he told God one of his memory verses. But shouldn't we do something similar?? The Youth Pastor included a GladLib (remember the word game MadLibs you did as a kid?) of Ephesians.
GladLib of Ephesians 3:14-21
Heavenly Father please help my responses to all circumstances in life to be to get down on my knees before You as the one who magnificently parcels out all of heaven and earth and
___________________________________________________
(insert your mailing address including street number, city and state)
I ask You to strengthen __________________ by Your Spirit,
(name of child)
GladLib of Ephesians 3:14-21
Heavenly Father please help my responses to all circumstances in life to be to get down on my knees before You as the one who magnificently parcels out all of heaven and earth and
___________________________________________________
(insert your mailing address including street number, city and state)
I ask You to strengthen __________________ by Your Spirit,
(name of child)
but not in brute strength, but instead a glorious inner strength which comes from You as the Christ living in him/her when he/she opens the door to his/ her heart and invites You in. Keep both his/her feet planted firmly on love, so that he/she will be able to take in with all the Christians, especially at
_____________________________________________________,
(name of home church and their small groups they are involved with)
the extravagant dimensions of Your love. I want us together to reach out and experience the breadth, to test the length, to plumb the depths and to rise to the heights of Your love! Through You we can live full lives, full in the fullness of who You are. You really can do anything. Apply this even in my disbelief about
_____________________________________________________.
(situation in your life together that is very difficult or maybe seems impossible)
You can do far more than we could ever imagine, guess or request in our wildest dreams! I am and want to always be amazed by how You do this not by pushing us around, but by working Your Spirit deeply and gently within me and him/her. I praise You and give You the glory!
(adapted from THE MESSAGE paraphrase of the Bible)
