A Prayer for our Children

May our children grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and all people.

Heavenly Father thank you for entrusting us with our children. For you created our children in your image. You knit them together in their mother’s womb, and they are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your eyes saw their unformed bodies, and you laid out every moment of their lives before they were born. Thank you that these are plans to prosper them, and not to harm them, plans to give them a hope and a future.

Even though we cannot always be with our children, thank you that you are always with them. You know when they sit, and when they rise; You know their every thought, and are familiar with all their ways. Continue to hem them in behind and before and lay your hand upon them. May they learn that your purposes will stand, and that you will accomplish what you have planned for them.

Father, you know that trouble is always near our children, so do not be far from them. Be their strength. Deliver them from the sword; rescue them from the mouths of lions; save them from the horns of wild oxen. May their accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm them be covered with scorn and disgrace. Do not hide your face from them. Listen to our children when they cry for your help.

When they compare you to money, and all the other attractions of this world, may they remember that you are God, and that there is no other. When they are stubborn-hearted and far from your righteousness, bring your righteousness near, and do not delay your salvation. And when they acknowledge their sin, have mercy on each one according to your unfailing love. According to your great compassion blot out their sins, wash our children from all iniquity and cleanse them from all sin, so that they may be whiter then snow. Create in each child a pure heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within each one. May each one of them come to know the joy of your salvation. May your presence and the Holy Spirit never, ever leave them.

Thank you that you have upheld our children since their birth, and carried them since they were born. Continue to sustain each one even to their old age and grey hairs. We thank you that you will not cast them away when they are old, or forsake them when their strength is gone.

Thank you that you are their rock and refuge to which they can always go. Thank you Sovereign Lord that you are their hope and confidence. May their mouth be filled with your praise, declaring your glory all day long.

We ask you to do these things for our children so that they may praise you and declare your name to everyone. May they tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts to their generation, and to the next generation. Enable them to teach your ways with gentleness and wisdom. So that one day in glory, we may hear their friends tell us that they are in heaven because they have seen and heard of your glorious works through our children’s lives.

May our children continue to grow in wisdom and in favor with you and with their friends, their teachers, and colleagues and all those who may have an influence on them. We ask you to do this because you are the Lord, because you are faithful, because you are Holy and because you have chosen us, and you have chosen our children.