Wings of Eagles

but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

To the one who makes all things new, Lord of Lords and King of Kings,

May these children put their hope in you and only in you. May they quickly learn that all other "gods" will fail them and will leave them weary. Sometimes they will become weary in their service to you, but you will not leave them that way - because you are faithful and you keep your promises. You will renew their strength. They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not be faint. They will soar on wings like eagles. Praise be your name from everlasting to everlasting!

Amen

How Deep

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Dear Jesus,

May your Spirit within these children give them power to grasp how deep is the love of your Son. When I think of deep I think of limitless. There is no bottom to the reservoir of your love and the love of your Son. But I also think of depth being how far is the reach of the love of Christ. He reaches down into our deepest caverns of sin and pulls us out, out of the depths He rescues us. There is no depth to which we can fall that He cannot reach us. Jesus, help these children to learn that they are never beyond your reach. There is no pit into which they can fall that you cannot find them and lift them out. If they are drowning in the depths of the sea, you can pull them out. May they always look up when they are falling to see your hand reaching for them, and may their hands grasp your grip of grace.

Amen

How High

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Dear Father,

May your Spirit within these children give them power to grasp how high is the love of your Son. When I think of height, I think of the heavens and that your love reaches the heavens, brought to the heavens as your Son, who bought us with His blood, ascended to your right hand. May these children realize that your Son was and is God and that he gave up his equality with you to come to earth to be a helpless baby, to grow up suffering the ailments of the human body and to be crucified in that body. May they then believe the resurrection and that He now has returned again to His former glory. Pure love became flesh. And now that love sits by your side, covering us with his grace.

Amen

How Long

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Dear Father,

May your Spirit within these children give them power to grasp how long is the love of your Son. When I think about length, I think about patience - that your love never ends, it never gives up. May these children understand that, even if they may leave you for a period of time or may fail you over and over again, your love is still there. It does not stop and you stand always ready to embrace them when they turn back to you. Help them to deeply understand this and to never reach a point when they think you do not love them or want them back.  In fact, you are not only ready to take them back, as the good shepherd, you pursue them to restore them to their rightful place in your flock, at your table. Even if there comes a time when these children might feel like giving up on themselves, help them know that you will never give up on them.

Amen

How Wide

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)

Dear Father,

May your Spirit within these children give them power to grasp how wide is the love of your Son. When I think of width, I think of the grace that we have through the blood of your Son by which we are accepted by you despite our sin and our failures. Help these children to grasp the awesomeness of the incarnation - what your Son gave up to enter this world, and the shame that he bore on the cross - the creator of the universe subjected to ridicule by His creation. All of this to give them the mercy and grace by which they are made righteous because of your Son's perfection and righteousness . May this truth sink into them as your Spirit enables them to understand on deeper and deeper levels. And may they know that this gift was and is a gift of deep love for them as individuals - as you know each of their names and Jesus gave his life for each one of them.

Amen

Run the Race

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1,2)

Dear Jesus,

May these children fix their eyes on you, on your example, on your righteousness, on your faithfulness, on your courage in the face of adversity, and on your glory. May they take great courage in your victory over death as they enter the race set before them. May they understand that the race is a marathon, not a sprint, and that they must pace themselves to go the distance. May they learn that races are easier to run the lighter the load as they throw off the weight of materialism. May they know that they have a cloud of witnesses, some here today, some having already gone home to you, who are cheering them on. Give them extra endurance, when they hit "the wall", to press on through to the finish line to receive a crown of glory from your hand, your smile upon them as they hear you say "well run!".

Amen

Don't Shrink Back

And,

“But my righteous one will live by faith.
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.”

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. (Hebrews 10:38,39)

Almighty God,

I have spoken in many of my prayers for these children on the subject to courage. I do so because it is clear that is what you expect of us. You forgive many things but you have no tolerance for cowardice. These children will fail in many ways during their lives. They will try to serve you and will sometimes fail. They will succumb to temptation and sin, but you forgive. But the one thing I pray they are never guilty of is cowardice in service to you. May they be ever bold and courageous, never shrinking back in fear. May they readily join in the charge against the gates of hell, fully equipped in your armor and following your lead, never backing down.

Amen

Do Not Give Up Meeting Together

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24,25)

Loving Father,

Lead these children to understand the true purpose of Christians coming together. Help them to understand that it is not to "worship" as Christianity has come to believe as you tell us that true worship is a sacrificial life. Rather, we come together to encourage each other and to spur each other on to good works. May this knowledge help these children to avoid the consumer mentality many have adopted when the "worship service" does not "edify" them. In fact, what the Hebrew writer is telling us is a bit like John Kennedy's inaugural address: ask not what your worship service can do for you, but ask what you can do to encourage other Christians in their walk.

Before these children set out for the church building, may they seriously consider specific individuals that need their encouragement and spurring on. May they seek these individuals out and see their purpose in coming to the assembly to provide that encouragement. And may there be others who will likewise seek out these children to encourage them. With that mindset, may the realize that missing the assembly is not just failing to punch their time clock, but it is missing an opportunity to spur on another fellow servant who may be struggling, encouragement that may make the difference in whether that servant continues on in their walk.

Amen

The Word of God

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Dear Father,

Give these children a clear understanding of the power of your word. May they understand that the reading of your word is not just an intellectual exercise, but that your transforming power is unleashed within them as your Spirit does His work. May they realize that time in the word is time that you work on them and that time away from the word is a time of weakness and spiritual deterioration.

The battle against evil is ever present and the power of the forces against them are formidable. Help them to see that weakness from a disconnection from your word will leave them vulnerable to spiritual attack and defeat. Attempting to live without the word and prayer is like trying to operate a battery powered appliance without recharging the battery on a regular basis - it might appear fine for a while until the battery begins to die. Draw them to your word and give them a thirst that can only be quenched by it.

Amen

Nothing is Hidden From God

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:13)

All Knowing Father,

When we are not behaving ourselves, we tend to not want to think about you or approach you. In our strange way, we somehow think you are not there, not with us in the place we are not supposed to be doing what we should not be doing. By the Spirit within them, give these children a strong sense of your presence, even when they are not behaving. May that sense of your presence have a convicting effect such that they never feel comfortable with ungodly behavior or speech. May their sense, though, be of a present Father who cares for them and whose Spirit is in anguish at the harm they are causing themselves and others, a present God who wants to reclaim them and take them under his wings, a Father who runs to the prodigal to embrace upon his return. And may they run to you.

Amen

Your Legacy of Faith - A Cloud of Witnesses

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. (II Timothy 1:5)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. (Hebrews 12:1)

Dear Father,

I thank you that these children have believing parents and grandparents to influence them. I pray that we are effective in that influence and use wise words to bring them along in their faith. Give us the focus, the energy and the courage to live out godly examples for them. I am thankful for the believing ancestors they have who are already with you, for the influence they had on us who are now attempting to pass on that legacy. They are indeed a great cloud of witnesses.

May these children look to the legacy of faith they have received and determine that they, too, will endeavor to pass it on to the next generation. Give them a burning desire to hold fast to your teachings and avoid stumbling so that their example will be one that future generations can look to and follow. Help them to understand that the chain of faith can easily be broken when one link falls away - that much is depending on them, generation upon generation to come is depending on these children to hold to their faith and finish the course. Give them the strength, wisdom, courage and determination to do so.

Amen

An Empty Cup

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (II Timothy 4:6-8)

Dear Father,

Coaches tell their teams to "leave it all on the field" and by that they mean that they should expend every last drop of energy and strength in the game - they should have nothing left in them when the game is over. Such is how our Christian life should be.

I pray these children choose to be an empty cup, everything poured out, nothing left behind, when they reach the end of their lives. And because we never know when that day will come, I pray they end each day as an empty cup, having given everything for your glory. That, of course, does not mean that there is no time for leisure and refreshing, but even that should be for a goal - to influence their friends and families for the sake of the gospel and to replenish strength to re-enter the battle. In our society, this is not a popular way to look at life. We are expected to live life for enjoyment, not sacrifice. But your Son told us that it is only in sacrifice, in losing our lives, that we gain life, both true life in this life and eternal life with you. May these children strive to be an empty cup - but as they strive to do so, refill their cups so that they run over.

Amen

Preach the Word!

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (II Timothy 4:1,2)

Dear Father,

You may call some of these children to full time ministry and I pray that those called will answer. But I also pray that you instill in the others that "preaching the word" does not require a Sunday morning pulpit. Help them to see that their lives are a sermon with the world around them reading every line. May they prepare themselves for life so that their lives preach in season and out of season - when they are strong - when the force of your Spirit in their lives is contagious to those around them and when they are weak - when they suffer hardship and heartache and their faithfulness and the evidence of your comfort speaks to those around them. May their words and their example both rebuke, as those living as they should not live will feel remorse at their behavior as they see the godly lives of these children, and encourage, as they carry others along on their Christian walk. Let their lives preach loud and true.

Amen

Terrible Times

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (II Timothy 3:1-5)

Dear Father,

There is much handwringing today by Christians concerned by how they think our country is crumbling into immorality. But the truth is that immorality has always been pervasive throughout this fallen world and our country has been no exception. There were no "good ol' days" when people were pure and righteous. Immorality took different forms and some occurred more in secret. One cannot look at the immorality of slavery, child labor, abuse of workers, the breaking of treaties with the native Americans and the stealing of their land and conclude that somehow our nation was more moral in its past. We had a form of godliness, but we denied its truth and its power.

Paul's concern was not society at large, but immorality in the church. And the immorality he warns of is not sexual immorality, rather it is the immorality of unloving behavior. People who may attend church, but everything else about their behavior is despicable.  May these children fully comprehend their responsibility, not to campaign against immorality in our society, rather it is to stand firm against those who would use the cover of Christianity to use and abuse others. Give them the courage to stand against this and defend those being mistreated by fellow Christians and give others the courage to stand with them so that they do not stand alone.

Amen

Don't Get Distracted

No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (I Timothy 2:4-7)

Dear Father,

It is easy in life to be distracted by all of the activities we have. Certainly we have no choice but to work for a living and you want us to spend time with our families and some time in recreation to refresh ourselves. The mistake is when we look at those activities as somehow separate from Kingdom work. We look at work at church or mission work or benevolence work as Kingdom work and we look at our jobs and our leisure activities as not Kingdom work. It is only when we realize that all of life is Kingdom work that we are able to stay focused on our purpose and mission in this life.

May these children never fall into the trap of compartmentalizing their lives. Show them the opportunities for good that exist all around them in every breath they take, opportunities to be a witness to the world of your transforming power in our lives, opportunities to speak comfort to those who are struggling, opportunities to lead spiritually family members, fellow Christians and those not yet believers, and opportunities to glorify you and your boundless love for a broken creation. Keep these children focused on the totality of life being ministry, service and offering as your raise them up to be your lights shining in the darkness. May these children reflect on these principles as you give them insight.

Amen

Do Not Be Argumentative

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, (II Timothy 2:24,25)

Dear Father,

Though I pray these children value truth, your truth, I ask that they take this teaching to heart. It is difficult for a discussion of truth not to become a contest of egos. Discussion of such matters can quickly devolve into a contest to be won or lost. It is so very difficult to avoid this outcome. I pray that you give these children that special wisdom to choose words and approaches to conversations about truth that lead to honest and open dialogue about important matters, which avoid putting the other person on the defensive. May that wisdom also give them the talent, when they are being attacked for their views, to lower the temperature and bring the conversation back to reasoned discussion. 

This does not mean that they water down or compromise truth, but that they have the ability to engage in these discussions so that they own conclusions about truth can be rightfully tested and honed and so that truth is learned by all to your glory. No winners, no losers, just truth. 

Amen

Supporting God's Servants

May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus. (II Timothy 1:16-18)

Dear Father,

I pray these children will be of the pattern of Onesiphorus. It is our tendency to stand back and criticize your servants when their performance doesn't suit us. Show these children that what you, rather, want from them is to be those who encourage those who are devoting their lives to ministry, particularly when those servants are under persecution. May they search for wounded servants in the dungeon of the heart during their dark days and minister to them with the salve of your love shown through them. And by the efforts of these children, I pray you will restore the soul and heart of these discouraged servants and put them back on the battlefield and into the field of souls.

Amen

Keep It Simple - Don't Argue Over Words

Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.(II Timothy 2:14,23)

Father of wisdom,

I pray these children develop the ability to avoid being pulled into petty religious arguments. Guide them into understanding that the New Testament is not a replacement for the Law of Moses and was never intended to be analyzed with a fine tooth comb, arguing over every detail. Such behavior has led to heartbreaking division within the body of your Son.

You want unity. Your Son wants unity. Your Spirit wants unity. Unity will never happen so long as we choose to argue over words. Help these children to understand that the principles of following your Son were intended to be simple. Believe that He is your Son, that he lived, was crucified and rose again, that he ascended to heaven and is at your right hand and that he rose again, that believers in him are to be baptized into him and that from there we are to attempt to love others as He has loved us. All the rest is just noise. Help them to understand this and be a force for unity in the church of your Son.

Amen

Flee The Evil Desires of Youth

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (II Timothy 2:22)

Dear Father,

The temptations of youth as hard. Peers encourage to "try" things. Maintaining sexual purity when the hormones are flowing at fever pitch is extremely difficult. In Paul's instructions to Timothy, though, he wisely tells Timothy that one cannot simply focus on the negative - don't do this or don't do that - rather it is critical to focus on the positives.

I pray these children focus on what they wish to do - pursuing righteousness, increasing their knowledge and faith in you, loving and ministering to people and working to secure peace - peace in their community, in their church and in the world. And by that focus, Lord, help them to push temptations to the side so that they do not have so strong a pull. May they understand the importance not to simply say "no" to temptation, but to flee - to run. Give them your strength in this, because the human will is simply not sufficient.

Amen

I Know Whom I Have Believed

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day. (II Timothy 1:12)

Dear Father,

Paul lived in such a way that there was no hope for him unless you were real and unless the story of the resurrection was true. But his trust was complete and his confidence unwavering. I pray these children entrust everything to you such that the non-believer considers them silly for how they live.

Give them a strong conviction in their hearts that you are worthy of their trust and their confidence. Do some obvious things in their lives, as you have done with me, that strengthens that conviction - obvious signs of your presence and you walking with them, actions that cannot really be explained away because the odds against them being coincidence are too great. By you Spirit within them, give them an undeniable presence in their hearts. May they then entrust all that they have and all that they are to you.

Amen

Not Timidity, But Power

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (II Timothy 1:7)

Dear Father,

A message that continues to ring through your word is that you want us to be courageous people. Timidity is not an option and is an indication of weak faith. But recognizing our weakness, you give your Spirit to live with us and He brings with Him, not timidity, but power as He transforms us.

Help these children to grasp the power Who lives within them. Help them to draw on that Power through study of His sword, your word and by time in prayer. Well up your power within them mightily. May that power allow them to speak boldly, but also speak boldly in love, finding the proper balance and mix of boldness and kindness. May they be bold in speaking truth in a loving manner, but may they also be bold in expressing their love to those your give them to love.

Amen

Respecting Older People

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. (I Timothy 5:1,2)

Dear Father,

These children will find themselves frustrated with older people. Older people think slower and less clearly, they are set in their ways and many times do not appreciate the latest developments. Consequently, our American society places little value on them. With our busy schedules we seem to have no time to spend with them and do not feel the importance to make time. But you tell us to treat older people well and you tell us that there is a wisdom that they hold from many years of living.

I pray these children go against the grain of our society and place great value and worth in older people, that they will make time to spend with them and invest in them. May they treat older people with dignity and respect and may they honor them for the lives of faith they have lived. May they treat them gently when they disagree with their views, listening to their views to glean wisdom even if they do not agree with them, and without arguing with them. May they experience great blessing from having walked beside them.

Amen

Being Young

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (I Timothy 4:12)

Dear Father,

For what ever reason, you have always put me in positions of leadership at a relatively young age. But from that I learned that what I lacked in maturity could be made up by speaking and practicing your word and my failures occurred when I did not. 

I pray you raise these children up in their youth to be spiritual leaders. But keep ever before them the risks and limitations youth brings with it. Keep them focused in your word and speaking it with great humility, acknowledging that what they speak is from you, not from them. Get them a spirit of courage such that they are not intimidated while attempting to lead or teach, again falling back on your word, which is ancient, when they are challenged or criticized. And do not let the prospect of challenge intimidation keep them from accepting your call. 

Amen

I Am: The Vine

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:5-8)

Dear Jesus,

You are the source. The source of our power, the source of our strength, the source of our sustenance. When we are separated from you, we wither. When we are connected, we flourish and bear the fruit of the Spirit. Give these children a clear understanding of this principle. Give them a strong yearning to be in your presence, as a deer pants for the water. When they grow slack in their time with you, put a heavy burden on their hearts which can only be lifted when they return to your side and give them the discernment to quickly realize the cause of such burden and solution for it. As they stay connected and close to you, grow your fruit from within them so that they bless multitudes of people with your hope and radiance emanating from them.

Amen

I Am: The Way the Truth and the Life

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

Dear Jesus,

These children will hear that there are many ways to God. They will hear that Christians are narrow minded by saying that you are the only way to salvation, that only in you is truth. Give them a clear head in these arguments so that they are not confused. Help them to see that a comment that "all religions point to God and are a path to him" is an illogical statement. The world religions are so in conflict with each other suggests that the God who created order in the universe, created absolute chaos when it comes to approaching him. Further, the world religions don't even have a consistent concept of "God" or "salvation".

Only in you does the personal God of creation give himself for his creation to redeem it. Only in you is salvation not a merit based achievement by adherents, rather is it based on the achievement of a righteous God. Only in you is the command and law to love others as you have loved us, a command, if followed, that would solve all the problems of the world. Only in you is a God who cares deeply for the individual. Show these children that believing that such a God is the only way is not narrow, but is redeeming.

Amen

I Am: The Resurrection and the Life

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25,26)

Dear Jesus,

Something inside of us cannot accept that we someday simply cease to exist. Our hearts tell us that we live on after our death. In truth, scripture teaches the resurrection. We believe that our resurrection only happens in you and by your power. May these children look in hope to their resurrection in the last day and may their lives be motivated and governed by that hope. Help them to believe this to the very core of their being. May they look to you for true life in this life and for life everlasting in the life to come.

Amen

I Am: The Good Shepherd

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11)

Dear Jesus,

Teach these children your voice so that they hear you when you call. Teach them your voice through your word and through your Spirit who dwells within them. When they wander, chase after them and call to them. May they hear your voice and turn back to you and if they do not, pursue them powerfully with every means possible. Discipline them with your rod and your staff. Restore their souls to your flock. Lead them beside still waters and to green pastures. Defend them against the wolf who seeks to destroy them. May they dwell in the peace and joy of your care and protection.

Amen

I Am: The Gate

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:7-10)

Dear Jesus,

You are the gate. You are the gate of protection as your guard your sheep and you are the gate of entry. I pray you send your mighty angels to protect these children from the attack of the evil one. Build a strong hedge around them with you as the gate.

May these children also understand that you are the only path to true safety, to salvation from evil. Show them that they are not strong enough to withstand the evil one on their own, that they need to stay in the flock, your church, and not stray out on their own. Show them that safety resides in your flock because you are looking over the flock and that is where your protection lies - because you are the entry gate.  Help them to understand the seriousness of the danger that lays in wait for sheep who wander. The evil one waits to entice and entangle the wanderer in sin and to deceive them into believing they are safe, all the while intending to devour them spiritually. Lead them abandon their prideful view of self-sufficiency and to look to you for safety and protection.

Amen

I Am: The Light of the World

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Dear Jesus, Source of all Light,

These children will find that there will be dark days, days with sadness, days with disappointment, days in which it feels as though the sky is falling in on them. But you promise that they will, in those days, have your light upon them, that they will never be truly in darkness, but that your light will show them the way through and your light will lighten their hearts.

May these children reflect your light in the darkness, both to show to the world how your light sustains them in times of trial, but also as they shed your light on others who are struggling in darkness.  Give them courage to speak about your light as they seek to share that light with world around them.

Amen

I Am: The Bread of Life

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35)

Dear Jesus,

Our society hungers. It hungers for the elusive "happiness". So many different paths are sought to achieve it. Some look to houses, cars, vacation homes, money, success, position, relationships, sex. Some look to various forms of spirituality. Some even look to things that are clearly positive - service to mankind, helping the poor, church work, mission work.

But show these children that it is only in you that the hunger can be satisfied. Not in possessions or position or even in worthwhile activity, but in you and you alone. Lead their hearts to draw close to you and partake of you. Show them the feast that awaits them which makes the things the world chases to be mere crumbs. May your true food, then, nourish them so that they have the strength, then, to do the works of service in your Kingdom as an outgrowth of your nourishment, not the source of it.

Amen

I Am

 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. (John 8:58,59)

Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords,

There is no mistaking what you claimed about yourself when you said these words. You claimed to be God, the "I AM" of Moses, YHWH, Jehovah, the creator of the universe. I pray these children come face to face with that claim. May the truth of that claim help them to understand that you are worthy of worship, and worthy of their very lives. That you are truly the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and before your awesomeness every knee will bow.

May they then fully understand the significance of you having become flesh and subjecting yourself to abuse by those whom you created. The created crucified the creator. That is too great for our minds to comprehend. And the creator gave himself for us both as a redeeming act by a mighty and gracious God, but also as an act of a man for his friends, his brothers and sisters. And because of that, may they realize that God, the creator, now sympathizes in their weakness and pleads their case before the Father. Truly you are worthy to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!

Amen

Thirst No More

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13,14)

Dear Jesus,

These children will experience spiritual thirst. It will happen when they have not spent time in the word or in prayer as they should. It will happen when they chase after other things to satisfy their thirst. It will happen even when that "thing" they are chasing after is work for you,  rather than seeking you. Remind these children that in you, and you alone, is the "spring of water welling up to eternal life", the water that truly satisfies the thirst of the soul. The water that can transform a parched and barren land into the Garden in which they were intended to live.

Amen

He Must Become Greater

He must become greater; I must become less. (John 3:30)

Father,

Try as we might to rid ourselves of wanting to be well thought of in the eyes of man, our egos will always be there.  The example of John the Baptist is a tough one for us - a man who dedicated his life to you, gave it all up to serve you, and yet his followers left him for Jesus and is earthly "reward" was execution. I pray these children dedicate their lives to serving you. But when they do, they will encounter criticism and hardship. They will also encounter fellow workers who are more "successful" in their ministry and who have more public acclaim and notoriety.

Give these children the perspective of the cross, and of martyrs such as John the Baptist, the prophets, the apostles and the early Christians when they are lamenting their own suffering and criticism.  Certainly such suffering is painful and discouraging, but as the Hebrew writer said, "In your struggle against sinfulness, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood." May they also learn to rejoice with those who rejoice when others receive more public acclaim than they do and realize that the only thing that matters is the applause of heaven.

Amen

The Word Became Flesh

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

Dear Jesus,

It is hard for me to imagine what it must have been like to leave your unimaginable glory in heaven to take on flesh and become one of us. John testifies that he saw you and saw your glory, both the glory of your life lived, but also the glory of your baptism, your transfiguration, your resurrection and your ascension. I pray these children come to understand the sacrifice you made for them, not only the sacrifice on the cross, but your sacrifice made simply by becoming one of us.

I pray they understand and fully appreciate that you brought both truth - speaking it is terms that will convict anyone who truly listens, but also grace - help for them in their weakness and their inability to fully follow your teachings. I ask that you also show them your glory, played out in their lives and the lives of those around them as you open their eyes to what you are doing everyday by your power and your Spirit.

Amen

Assurance of Salvation

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (I John 5:13)

Dear Father,

These words have been a powerful force in my life - when I first understood that I supposed to know I am saved. I pray these children are able to state and claim with confidence that they are saved. Help them to discern that the fact they can know they are saved necessarily means that salvation isn't based on how good they are, else they could never know for sure. But this verse and from I John 1:7, help them to understand that their salvation is based only on whether they believe in your Son, and that they continue to walk in the light by loving their brothers and sisters in Christ (though imperfectly so). If they simply hang onto their faith and strive to love, the blood of your Son continues to purify them.

Amen

Love Drives Out Fear

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (I John 4:18)

Dear Father,

The continual cleansing from sin that you freely give to your children who are walking in the light of loving their Christian brothers and sisters, should drive out fear - the fear of death and the fear of punishment. Give these children that peace as your love drives out their fear. Give them perspective as to their earthly fears so that they accept and believe that the things they may be afraid of in this life pale in comparison to the eternal life in store for them by your love and mercy.

Amen

Loving Our Brother Whom We Have Seen

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (I John 4:7-12, 19-21)

Loving Father,

Your message cannot be more clear. Teach these children that the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love. How they treat people, particularly fellow Christians, means everything.  Unless they can love their brother and sister whom they see and live around on a regular basis, they cannot claim that they love you. Any many Christian brothers and sisters are hard to love. But our command is to love them as you have loved us. Give these children an unflinching focus on this principle.

Amen

When Our Hearts Condemn Us

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (I John 3:18-20)

Father of Mercy,

These children will have times when their hearts condemn them, when they feel defeated, unworthy, and failures before you. But I pray you set their hearts at rest in these times and help them to believe that if they have continued to walk in their faith by showing love and kindness and by helping those in need, they stand fully whole before you. For you are greater than their hearts and will save them even when they feel like complete failures. I praise you for that and for your great love and compassion toward your children.

Amen

Our Defense Lawyer

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (I John 2:1,2)

Dear Jesus,

I pray these children fully understand your role in their eternal salvation. Not only did you give your life as a sacrifice to atone for their sins, but you advocate their case before the Father, pleading their innocence. And they are standing before the Father innocent, because your blood has paid the price and has purified them.

But may they also remember that this forgiveness that is so freely given does not mean that they have the right to be lax about sin. You expect them to refrain from sin to the best of their ability. But I pray that you help them in this by the power of your Spirit within them, as He transforms them into your likeness.

Amen

Walking in the Light

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (I John 1:7-10)

Father of Grace and Mercy,

These verses are my favorite. I pray these children understand their deep and glorious meaning. I pray the understand that by these verses 1) our purification from all sin means that the forgiveness we receive is moment by moment, continuous and 2) by definition sinning and walking in the light can co-exist. Continual cleansing - salvation - happens non-stop as we walk in the light, all the while we continually fail and sin. If we confess that we are sinful, you forgive us.

Help them to realize that "walking in the light" as defined in chapter 2 of I John, is loving your brothers and sisters in Christ. They will not do this perfectly either, but help them to realize that their focus should always be on how they treat people, for that is walking in the light - which gives them continual forgiveness of their sins.

Amen

Cults

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. (Colossians 2:20-23)

Wise Father,

There is an appeal to cults in our society. There is a comfort that some receive from their strict rules and mind control. Fill these children with your wisdom such that they can perceive the lie that is within these movements, a lie that robs their followers of the freedom you intended for your children. If ever they are lured into that kind of group, open their eyes so that they can see truth and give them the courage to break free.

So that they avoid the allure of these cults, help them to build a solid understanding of your word and the freedom that comes from the Gospel of your Son so that they see these groups for what they are - a distortion of your word and your plan for our lives.

Amen

Hollow and Deceptive Philosophies

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Wise Father,

As these children grow older, and particularly as the enter college and beyond, they will encounter skeptics. They may come in the form of classmates, or perhaps in the form of teachers and professors. They will sound very wise and very intelligent. They will have clever arguments and will be able to argue their positions adeptly.

Through parent, teachers and your infused wisdom, prepare these children for these attacks on their faith. By that preparation, create in them a resilient faith that can accept unanswered questions. A faith that fully believes in you, your Son and his resurrection as basic truth, but a faith that can deal with challenge and ambiguity. And give them a willingness to seek the wise counsel of mature fellow believers who can help them sort through the challenges that have been made against their faith. And always give them a powerful sense of the reality of your presence and the power of your Spirit within them that will not let them abandon their fundamental trust in you.

Amen

Christ's Energy in Us

To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:29)

King Jesus,

These children will become tired, weary of their striving to follow you. Show them that it is not by their power or their endurance that they continue on, but by Your power and energy within them. Increase that power to give them the ability to continue in their walk of faith all the days of their lives.

Amen

Reconciled!

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. (Colossians 1:21-23)

Merciful Father,

Some of these children may wander far from you and may truly understand that they have been alienated from you, in fact an enemy of you. But some may choose a straighter path and may have difficulty feeling that they have ever been your enemy. Teach these children the perfection you demand and your nature to punish any imperfection with death. Show them by the principles taught by your servant James that any infraction of right and wrong, in your eyes means that all law is broken.

Realizing their separation from you, show them the lengths you have gone to reconcile them to you, to mend the relationship between you and them by the price of the blood of your only Son. May they understand the seriousness of their situation in that your Son had to die to redeem them and may they then rejoice in their restoration. Help them to believe that because of what Jesus did, He has presented them before you so that in your eyes you see them perfect, without fault, without sin. Their only obligation is to believe in your Son and to hold on to their faith. Give them the strength to continue on and not abandon their faith.

Amen

Rescued!

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13, 14)

Redeeming Father,

Give these children a sense of darkness, a perception of its reality and its presence. Let them see that the forces of evil exist and are bent on destroying them. Show them the truth of their own sin and rebellion, whether that rebellion be obvious and public, or whether it is less obvious and more private. Let them understand that such sin and rebellion put them in the clutches of darkness.

May they then fully understand and rejoice in their deliverance out of the dominion of darkness to the Kingdom of Light, the Kingdom of your Son, a deliverance bought with His blood as He gave his life for them. May their hearts rest in the knowledge of their redemption and forgiveness.

Amen

Our Citizenship

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20)

King Jesus, our Lord and Savior,

There is much about patriotism today. And I believe you want us to honor and respect our nation and our leaders. But I see Christians today seemingly equating the United States to your Kingdom. And though we should have allegiance to our country of origin, our true allegiance is to you and your Kingdom.

I pray these children understand that, though they are citizens of this country, that citizenship is far inferior to our citizenship in your Kingdom. I pray they understand that their fellow citizens in your Kingdom are fellow Christians from every nation and every tongue and that our co-citizenship with these individuals is a far greater bond than our bond with our co-citizens in the United States. And may they, together with their co-citizens in your Kingdom, eagerly await your return.

Amen

Press On!

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Father, our Strength,

I pray these children understand that there is never a time to sit back and coast. That you expect us always to be moving, pressing on. My visualization of this is in a race, in times past they used a tape to stretch across chest high across the finish line, and as you crossed the finish line, you broke the tape. In a race, the temptation is to begin to slow down as you reach the finish line, but coaches told us to "accelerate through the tape" and not to stop running until 10 yards past the finish line.  My goal in this life, Lord, is to accelerate through the tape. Press on, at an increasing pace, through the finish line.

I pray these children are like minded and use their later years to great benefit to the Kingdom. I pray that, during their life, they also forget what is behind - both failures and successes. May they learn from their failures and then move on. May they feel good about their successes, but not dwell on them. May their eyes be ever forward.

Amen

To Live is Christ

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

Dear Father,

It is easier to have the attitude Paul did as we get older. Life is more behind us than in front of us and much of what the future holds are the trials of aging. It is harder for the young to feel this way with their lives all ahead of them. But I pray that they will clearly understand the first point - to live is Christ.

Help them to see that life outside of your Son is meaningless and wasted, but that life within your Son is true life. It is true life not because it is easy or without trials, but it is true life because it makes a difference in things eternal. It is life that allows them to look back at my age and know that it mattered that you lived, and it mattered in things eternal.

As they mature and experience the trials and heartaches of this life, may they look to life eternal with you as deliverance from it all, and as time goes on, may they desire that life - eternal life - more and more to the point that they view death as ultimate gain.

Amen

It Is Well

Dear Father,

When peace like a river attends these children's way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever their lot, please teach them to say, "It is well, it is well, with my soul".

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded their helpless estate,
And has shed His own blood for their souls.

Their sins, O, the bliss of this glorious thought!
Their sins, not in part but the whole,
Are nailed to the cross, and they bear them no more,
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when their faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, be it well with their souls.

Amen

Approach God with Confidence

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:12 )
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15, 16)

Loving Father,

Though you are all powerful and though you are holy and perfect and righteous, and though you
 judge sin without tolerance, these children have a high priest in Jesus, who has paid the price for their sin and who sympathizes with their weaknesses. I pray they understand that fact and believe it deeply. May they feel that they not only can approach your throne without being struck dead, but may they understand that they can approach with confidence, their head held high as sons and daughters of the King, royalty.

May they believe that your throne is truly a throne of grace, where they will always find mercy for their shortcomings and will find your grace which supplies all their needs. May they comprehend that in approaching your throne they also find freedom, freedom from the law of bondage, freedom to live out your Son's Great Command, to love others as he has loved them, freedom from the fear of condemnation, freedom from guilt. May this confidence and freedom allow them to live in joy, rather than dread, in your presence.

Amen

Employers

And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:9)

Righteous Father,

As I said yesterday, we understand the slave of the first century was more akin to todays employee. Once they paid their monetary debt, they were free to go. My prayer is that if and as these children have employees or if they become supervisors on their jobs, that they will treat their employees "in the same way", that is, as if it is Jesus himself who is their employee.

May they see your Son as they look into the eyes of their employees and treat them with the same love and redemptive grace as you have shown them. I realize that there are times when employees must be terminated for performance related issues or because of a need to reduce workforce. But even in those cases it is possible to treat people with respect and dignity. May these children behave in that way if they are ever in that position. May they always keep the question in mind - "how will I feel if I see one of my employees or former employees at church. Will I be embarrassed, of will I be comfortable that I have behaved toward them with integrity and honor?" And by that behavior, may your name be glorified and their employees recognize your influence in their lives.

Amen

Employees

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, (Ephesians 6:5-7)

Dear Father,

We know that slaves in the first century were closer to the status of employees today. Most slaves of that time sold themselves into slavery to pay a debt. Effectively they were paid several months or years of wages in advance and were free to go after the allotted time.

As these children enter the workforce, I pray they follow these commands. May they obey their employers instructions as if they were serving Jesus. May they serve their employers sincerely and from the heart as they give their very best on the job. May they work hard regardless of whether their employer is watching, because they know that you are watching and you want them to give their best. Help them to resist the temptation to follow the crowd of half-hearted workers and complainers. May their work and their intentional Christian behavior lead their employers to praise you for your obvious influence in their lives.

Amen

Parents

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

Perfect Father,

As these children become parents, give them the ability to discern between rules, restrictions and boundaries necessary to properly train their children, and those which drive them over the edge into rebellion. This is a difficult line to walk and much judgment is required to determine what works best with each child. Give them the ability to assess what motivates each child, how each child learns and what disciplinary approaches work best with each child.

Give them the desire (and the discipline to take the time) to learn better parenting skills and to be open to modifying parenting approaches as they learn. As they age, give them the desire to mentor and share their parenting experience with younger parents. May their own children look to them as a pattern for parenting as the legacy of godly parenting is passed on.

Amen

Children

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1-3)

Father of all that is,

By definition, children are immature. But I pray you grant these children an inordinate amount of maturity for their age such that they see and understand the wisdom of obeying their parents. Their parents are imperfect and will make mistakes. These children will disagree with some of their decisions, and the children may be right. But help them to understand the wisdom of learning to accept and follow authority, even when that authority is imperfect, for such is the way the world will be. Help them also to accept that, although their parents are not perfect and will make mistakes, for the most part, they will have better judgment and insight on matters due to their greater life experience.

As adults, may they also continue to honor their parents. As their parents age, there will be attributes in them that will be frustrating and it will be tempting to become impatient with them. Give these children an abundance of patience, mercy and grace with their aging parents such that they continue to be honored as those who gave them life and sacrificed for them.

Amen

Wives

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:21-24)

Dear Father,

This is a challenging teaching, but one that I accept to be your will. May these granddaughters have a willingness to let their husbands be the spiritual leaders of the home, and that they encourage their husbands to be so. This is important because children will follow their parents lead and sons who have a father who is spiritually disengaged will generally follow that lead. And daughters who have a father who is a spiritual leader will generally seek out a husband who has such attributes.

But I also pray that these granddaughters understand that a husband's leadership does not allow him to be abusive, for the command to husbands is to love their wives as Jesus loves the church. Should these girls find themselves in an abusive relationship or marriage, give them the courage to draw clear boundaries and expect those boundaries to be respected. In such a case, provide them a support group who can support them in their resolve. They are your daughters, and it is not acceptable for them to be mistreated.

Amen

Husbands

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5:21, 25-28 NIV)

Dear Father,

I accept the teaching that husbands are to be the spiritual leaders in the home. I accept it not only because that is the way I read the scriptures, but I have so many times seen things turn out poorly in the home when a father fails to take on that responsibility. However, from the teaching above, it is clear that your definition of "in charge" in very different from the world's definition. One cannot read Paul's instruction here and elsewhere to support a domineering, authoritarian leadership model for the husband. Rather, the model is the sacrifice of Jesus. Just as Jesus wants the best for us and for us to reach our full spiritual potential, so husbands should likewise desire and strive to help their wives achieve their spiritual potential. Husbands should likewise sacrifice their very lives for the sake of their wives and family, just as Jesus has done for them.

I pray that these grandsons will understand this teaching and embrace it, seeking to become the kind of husbands you want them to be. Sacrifice is not easy, and because their wives will be imperfect sinners, just as they are, their willingness to be patient, kind, merciful and forgiving, just as Jesus is to them, will be crucial. Husband set the spiritual tone of the family. If a father is focused on spiritual things, his children (particularly his sons) are more likely to become spiritually mature. If a father is spiritually disengaged, or is ungodly in his behavior, his children (particularly his sons) are likely to follow suit. Give these grandsons the desire to lead spiritually and give these granddaughters a willingness to allow their husbands to lead.

Amen

Be Filled with the Spirit

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18)

Spirit of God,

I find this instruction interesting. Paul contrasts being filled with wine with being filled with you. Both can fill with joy, one with artificial joy that leads to trouble, the other - you - also fills us with joy, but with true joy. He also suggests that, though we are filled with you at our baptism, we can have more of you and that having more of you is somewhat up to us.

I pray these children seek to be filled with more of you. May they immerse themselves in your sword, the word of God, and thereby fill themselves more with you. May they spend time in prayer by which you communicate to the Father their needs and fill them more with your presence. And may they pray, as Jesus said they could, simply to have more of you. More of your presence, more of your transforming power and more of your guidance as they seek to keep in step with you and exhibit more of your fruit.

Amen

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)

Saving Father,

It is easy to let one day blur into another, one month into another, one year into another. Life is busy, full of activities and responsibilities. But this scripture instructs us to focus, to focus on what really matters - your will. And what is at stake is the spiritual and physical wellbeing of those around us.

Give these children a special awareness of their surroundings, of the plight of the people they encounter everyday. May they develop the focus of mind and will so that they recognize the opportunities that come their way to touch lives. Help them have open eyes to see and discern situations in which they can make a difference. Then give them the courage to enter in to those opportunities and situations and the wisdom to determine who best to respond to them.

As you develop within these children the focus and perception to identify opportunities, help them thereby not to be overtaken by daily events so that they may avoid the trap of being busy, but not effective.

Amen

Guard Your Witness

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:3, 4)

Dear Father,

Since we are no longer under law, other than the Law of Christ, you no longer give us a list of do's and don'ts for their own right. Rather, by seeking to love others as you have loved us, we choose to do things, and choose not to do things, which will show love to those around us. No doubt scripture tells us that some things are wrong -but they are wrong because they fail to show love to those you have given us to love.

In this scripture we are told that certain actions "are improper for God's holy people" and "are out of place". By that, we are being told that we have an obligation, out of love for the lost, to behave in a way that is appropriate for our calling. I pray these children bear always in mind the impact of their actions. The non-Christian may feel quite right in their own behavior, but they would be put off if they observe a Christian doing the same thing - calling them hypocrites. Help these children to see that walking the edge of behavior that is "improper for God's holy people", hurts their witness to the world and weakens their ability to be that light shining in the darkness.

Amen

Walk as Dearly Loved Children

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1, 2)

Loving Father,

These children will have times in their lives when they may feel unlovable. They may have times when they particularly feel unlovable by you. Mistakes they make, unhealthy habit they form, words they have said, people they have hurt may all bring them to believe the evil one's lie - that you no longer love them.

By the power of your Spirit, help them always to feel the calling of your love. Draw near to them so that they sense your calling is not far away. Put your gentle hand on their shoulder - even when you may be disciplining them in order to turn them around - so they know your actions are motivated by intense love. When they are defeated and empty, lift them up into your gentle arms. As they more deeply understand this love, may they show that same love to others, with great mercy, patience and sacrifice - the sacrifice of their rights and wants, for the redemption of others. Just as Jesus did for them.

Amen

Kindness, Compassion, Forgiveness

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Forgiving Father,

Help these children to see the depth of their own sin and failure. Help them to see the enormity of your forgiveness. Help them to believe that, through Jesus, you have indeed fully and continually forgiven them. Mold them with this knowledge and belief such that they are patient with others as you have been patient with them, such that they are kind to others as you have been kind to them, such that they are compassionate with others as you have been compassionate with them and such that they forgive others as you have forgiven them.

Keep their sin and your forgiveness ever before them. Keep their sin and your forgiveness ever before them. Keep their sin and your forgiveness ever before them. Lead them to mercy.

Amen

Christian Anger

“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26, 27)

Dear Father,

I am thankful that you acknowledge our human nature. We will get angry and you do not tell us that we shouldn't. By your words you take away the guilt we might feel when anger rises in us. I know in this teaching that you are not talking about holy and righteous anger, anger we should feel when the weak and defenseless are oppressed or when people are acting divisively within your Son's body, the church. Though even in that case, in our anger we should not sin.

But this teaching is about anger that arises naturally when we, or someone we love, is slighted or mistreated.  Help these children to know that it is acceptable to feel anger in that case. But help them also to understand this teaching - that they need to hold lightly to anger and drop it quickly (whether or not the issue that led to the anger has been resolved). They should drop anger quickly not only because it is part of loving others as you have loved us, but also because, as this scripture teaches, holding on to anger will give satan a foothold. Held anger will destroy them from the inside and will lead them to evil and sinful actions of retaliation. Give them the wisdom and courage to treat anger as a hot piece of coal, quickly dropped before it causes damage.

Amen