Prayer is a subject that I really struggle. I can’t wrap my brain around the in’s and out’s of this complex communication with our sovereign God. When I found a prayer devotional on YouVersion, I jumped at the opportunity to dive deeper.
Unlike most of the devo plans on this free app, the three-week prayer plan only contains scripture verses. No commentary whatsoever.
This makes me nervous.
What if I miss the point of the selected scripture? What if I don’t understand something or fail to interpret the verses correctly?
In a beautiful and peaceful way, the Holy Spirit told me to rest in His power to help me understand the scripture reading.
So, I am doing that. Each morning using just the scripture reading for the day, my Prayer Journal, and an open heart, I come to the time eager to see what point the Holy Spirit will highlight for me.
Today I was lead to John 17. In this chapter we see an intimate prayer between Jesus and His Father very shortly before He will be arrested and die. While He does pray for Himself, Jesus’ main concern is His disciples and other believers.
As I read this, I feel the intense love for those in His care. I can’t help but think of my role with those in my care…our four children.
As I learn about prayer, I am learning to pray the scriptures for my children. What better example than Jesus to learn how to pray for my kiddos! Using His words in John 17, I turned Jesus’ words into a prayer for our children.
Father, my heart’s desire is to reveal You to my children, whom You have given me. They are Yours; You simply allow me to be their mommy. I pray they would have a deep desire to obey Your Word and they would have an understanding that everything that has been given to our family and to them comes from You.
Holy Spirit, give to me the Words they need to hear and make their hearts receptive. Remove any doubt in their hearts that You are the One, true God; that Jesus is the Son of God.
I pray for Bubs, Sweet Pea, Little Man, and Peanut. I lift up my babies knowing they are Yours.
Holy Father, protect them from the evil one by the power of Your name. Protect them from those who would desire to pull them away from the love You desire for them. Make them holy by your truth, teach them Your Word which is truth.
In Jesus’s powerful and holy name…
So much peace knowing that Jesus prayed this for me as a believer and I can pray this for my children.
Would you like to learn how to pray Scripture for your children? Check out Praying the Scriptures for Your Children
and read my review. Also read a list of daily prayers for your children.
This is great. Prayer is something that I struggle with too. I am good with what I call "text messages to God" – short, random, one sentence prayers throughout the day. But I'd like to become more thoughtful and intentional in my prayer. I am thinking of focusing on prayer during Lent. I am going to have to check out this prayer devotional.
As I stated, I don't have prayer figured out but you might find some ideas as I share what I have learned in my ebook. If you have subscribed to the blog, you can read it through the link at the bottom of each blog post.