Summer Snippet 3: What to pray for kids?

It’s summer and every household has experienced conflict already, maybe so fiercely that we have had a moment of panic and thought, “Oh, my Lord, the kids aren’t going to turn out! Help!”

While my kids were still young, I learned from Beth Moore to pray the end goal: Lord, may my children grow up to love the Lord their God with their whole heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love their neighbors as themselves. (Luke 10:27)

Parenting is a roller coaster ride.

Much like a roller coaster, parenting requires that we strap in and go for the ride. We can’t get off a roller coaster once the ride starts, so we do we get on the the first place? Because we trust there will be a safe ending.  This principle comforts me beyond measure. I have been praying the end goal for my kids all of their lives, and still do nearly each day. As life throws our family the ups and downs experienced by all humans, my faith has been less likely to de-rail because I am praying toward the safe ending. The in-between is in God’s hands. Only He knows what each child needs to experience in order to eventually have a heart that is wholly His. I trust Him.

Prayer for the end goal has been invaluable.

Sometimes I hear parents say things like, “God’s got it,” or “It’ll all work out,” or “I can’t control how this goes.”

Maybe. We can talk like that if we are praying, but I am not convinced we can talk like that if we aren’t.

• Without prayer, God does not necessarily have it.
• Without prayer, things will not necessarily work out.
• With prayer, we leave room for God to doing something.

There is a battle waging all around us.

Christians in America don’t like to talk about the devil, but there is a devil seeking to devour our children – to render them useless for the Kingdom of God.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  (1 Peter 5:8)

Our shield from the evil one is prayer.

The Lord’s prayer includes: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13)

Jesus prayed for us: My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (John 17:15)

Our kids turn out well because God lets it happen. Period.

If my child does not end up loving God and people, I will always wonder what would have happened if I had prayed. If my child does end up loving God and people, I will be glad I prayed and can better trust God with how the ending turned out. For those children that end up loving God and people without any parental prayer, welcome to God’s grace – an undeserved gift.

Pray the end goal and keep the faith in between.

Picture Explanation: What is a summer in Atlanta without a Braves game?

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