Let the Afflicted Hear and Rejoice - Psalm 34:1-3

I will extol the  Lord  at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the  Lord ; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the  Lord  with me; let us exalt his name together. (Psalms 34:1-3 NIV84)

Dear Father,

There will be times when these children will be afflicted emotionally and physically as they pass through this life. The truth of  this Psalm is that the solution to healing in the midst of our affliction is to praise you from the depths of our souls. Even when things look hopeless, praise is the balm of our healing. Even as the final affliction takes us from this life to your presence, praise paves our path. 

I pray that these children grow to understand the power in praise of you. The connection to you, the source of ultimate healing, that praise forges. When they are tempted to withdraw within their affliction, spur their hearts with your Spirit to bring them to full bodied praise of all that you are. And by that, show them your presence and your power. 

Amen

A Fortress of Salvation - Psalm 28

Dear Father,

To you we call, O  Lord  our Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to these children.  For if you remain silent,  they will be like those who have gone down to the pit.  Hear their cries for mercy as they call to you for help,  as they lift up their hands  toward your Most Holy Place.  Praise be to you , for you have heard our cries for mercy for us and for these children.  You are their strength and their shield; I pray that their hearts trust in you, and are helped.  May their hearts leap for joy  and give thanks to you in song.  You are the strength of your people, a fortress of salvation for us.  Save these children and bless them; be their shepherd and carry them forever. 

Amen

Psalm 20

Dear Father,

Answer  them when they are in distress; by your name, the God of Jacob, protect them.  May you send them help from your sanctuary and grant them support from Zion. 

May you give them the desire of their hearts and make all their plans succeed.  We will shout for joy when they are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.  May you  grant all their requests. Now I know that the  Lord  saves his  children; you answer them from your holy heaven  with the saving power of your right hand.  

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the  Lord  our God. Others are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.  O  Lord , protect these little ones! Answer them when they call! (Psalms 20:1-9 NIV84)

Amen

The Heavens Declare your Glory - Psalms 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 

 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.  

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,  which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.  

It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other;  nothing is hidden from its heat. (Psalms 19:1-6 NIV84)

Dear Father,

I pray that these children are never blinded to your glory. Never deceived into denying your power. May they never tire of looking at the wonder of your creation and giving glory to you for it. I desire that they be educated people. But do not allow that education to pull them away from the awesomeness of your power. You are indeed the God of creation and your handiwork is obvious to all who honestly seek. 

Amen

For Those Who Wait - Isaiah 64:4

Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4

Dear Father,

Sometimes these little ones will find themselves waiting. Waiting for answer to prayer. Waiting for direction, for a sign. Waiting for deliverance from oppression. Waiting for relief from suffering. Waiting for loved ones to come back to you.

I believe, as Isaiah spoke, that you act on behalf of those who wait. On those who patiently follow after your will and your ways while waiting. On those who choose to do what is right rather than follow their own path and their own solution to the issues they are facing.

Waiting is so hard. It is hard because you somehow feel that the current situation may never end. These little ones will be tempted to take matters into their own hands rather than waiting for you to act.

I pray that these children will learn to wait on you. That they grow to believe so thoroughly in your power that they are willing to wait on you to act on their behalf. Do not leave them, Lord. Do not put them to shame in the eyes of the unbeliever. Come mightily and swiftly to their aid, and strengthen them as they wait.

Amen

Psalm 18

Dear Father,

I pray these little ones will love you as the source of their strength. Be their rock, their fortress, their deliverer.May they look to you as their rock and may they take refuge in you. Be their shield and the horn of their salvation, their stronghold. May they call out to you and praise you. In their distress may the call to you for help and from your throne hear their voices, their cries as they come to your ears.

Shake the earth and the mountains so that they tremble, breath fire, part the heavens, ride the cherubim and soar on the wings of the wind, come on the clouds with hail and lightning, thunder your voice, shoot your arrows as bolts of lightning as your power is shown in their protection. Reach down from on high and draw them out of the deep waters and rescue them. Keep their lamps burning in the darkness and turn their darkness into light.

Amen

The Way - Isaiah 35:8-10

⁸ And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be for those who walk on that Way.
The unclean will not journey on it;
wicked fools will not go about on it.
⁹ No lion will be there,
nor any ravenous beast;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there,
¹⁰ and those the Lord has rescued will return.
They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

 

Dear Father:

 

I pray that these children choose the Way, the Way of righteousness, the Way of your Son. By that they will be protected from the lion, the evil one and will enter Zion singing with joy. But as they enter the Kingdom in this life, I pray that the crown of joy will be something they begin to experience in this life before they experience it to perfection in the life to come. Sorrow will inevitably visit them in this fallen world, but as the image of a crown suggests, I pray that joy will rule the day for them.

 

Amen