Prayers for Your Children

My adult children have all left the nest, the last one off to college just this past month. As they find their new independence and live far away from home, I am reminded of my great calling to pray for them regularly. The best way to pray for someone is to follow the models we find in scripture, so I started with this Levitical blessing from Numbers 6:24-27.

The LORD bless you...

We pray for our children that God would bless their lives, knowing that in this world there are many troubles and He never promised to keep us from them (John 16:33). However, we know that blessings follow obedience and blessings are always found when living in His will. We pray that God's good gifts would come to our children (Luke 11:11-13) because He is a good Father and He loves our kids just as much as we do!

May He bless them with peace that is beyond understanding no matter what challenges they face (Philippians 4:4-7).

May He bless them with good jobs, godly spouses, children to love, and a safe home.

May He bless them mostly with His own dear presence to cheer and to guide.

And keep you...

May He guard our children from life-alerting harm or decisions (I know they need to grow through adversity, challenges and difficulties but I pray their spirits would not be broken by hardship).

May He protect them from the evil one physically, emotionally, and spiritually (Satan's arrows come in the form of fear, accusation, despairing, questioning God's sovereignty, living recklessly.)

The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you...

May my children know deep in their soul the great gift of grace that God has poured out on them through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:8-9).

May they feel the warmth of affection and love from the Father like a ray of sunshine in their heart.

The LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.

In a world of constant arguing, may God grant peace to our children. The peace of knowing they have been reconciled to God and are no longer His enemy, which in turn gives them the ability to be a peacemaker to the world. May they share His favor and His peace with others (Matthew 5:9).

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