Asking God for a Prayer for Each Child

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One of the neatest things I’ve done in my prayer life is ask God for specific prayers to pray for my children.

It all started when a close friend shared that, ever since her son was quite young, she’d had it on her heart to pray that he would be one who includes others. She asked God to give him a heart to see those on the outside and the compassion to draw them in, regardless of popularity and not influenced by the opinions of the crowd.

He’s now five years old and in soccer. That’s exactly who he is. Other’s have pointed this out, and she’s seen for herself how these very traits are evidencing themselves in marked ways.

You can imagine how fun it is for this mom to see her prayers coming to life as her son grows! God gave her special insight to know how to pray for him, and she will continue praying these same things for him, along with many other prayers.

I loved hearing how God was at work in and through her prayers for her son!

This made me wonder, has God given me specific prayers for my children as individuals? Have I asked Him?

Through praying, asking and listening to God, I realized that He had put unique prayers on my heart for each of my children, echos of some that had originated even from before they were born.

Through this process of asking, these prayers took shape in my heart even more.

So, to give you an better idea of what I mean, I will let you in on a few of these special prayers.

My Prayers for Each Child

All of these things I want for all of my children, but I find myself emphasizing certain things with each child.

For Clara

Passionate love for God and others.

I pray that God would fill her with love for people (as an unquenchable outflow of her understanding of His love for her). I pray that she would learn to see through this grid: she is extravagantly loved and people are beautifully made and matter fiercely to God, regardless of anything else.

For Matthew

Worship and depth.

I pray that God would give him a ministry of worship, through his words and actions. I ask that he would fall in love with Jesus and pursue knowing and glorifying God with his whole being, that His heart would beat and life be lived in praise to God

For Emily

Gentleness and peace.

I pray that God would develop in her a gentle spirit, that she would be joyful and a bearer of His light to a dark world. I pray that peace would follow her, that she would be a child and woman of unbending faith, and that she would be a peacemaker among her contemporaries.

I’m not sure whether these prayers are prophetic and divinely-inspired, whether they are what I see in my own children based on my limited wisdom, or whether they are simply what came to mind, but I do know they’re good prayers to pray no matter what their origin!

The exercise of asking God for prayers for my children has given me good points of emphasis and deepened how I pray for them. Rather than merely praying for their protection and good sleep, I’m also diving much deeper, much more regularly.

Can I challenge you today to take some time to pray and listen to God about how he wants to grow and use each of your children?

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