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