Let's Pray
Prioritizing prayer for your kids.
Prayer is a conversation not a transaction with God.
I’m married to a prayer warrior. She believes in prayer, she practices prayer, and she is empowered by prayer. When our kids were young, she was notorious for her nighttime prayer raids—crawling on her knees from bed to bed and praying while our four children slept. She has prayed for base hits, touchdowns and free throws. She’s prayed for injury prevention and for her children to just get in the game. She’s prayed on most of the high school fields and courts close to our hometown and in college stadiums throughout the Atlantic Coast Conference. I’ve learned a lot about prayer by watching and listening to my wife pray for and with our children. She has praised God for amazing victories and has sought God’s comfort for distraught children after a loss. She has faithfully modeled the command in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray constantly.” It’s no wonder that our children have all been greatly impacted by the prayers of their mother.
Our two sons started playing organized football in a league for 9-and 10-year-old boys. One evening, we drove to the field and saw, what seemed to us, a local high school football team practicing. But, we soon discovered it was the team scheduled to play our boys’ team! I heard my wife start praying out loud, “Please Jesus, you have to do something and do it quickly!” Can you believe that 15 minutes later, the referee realized the opposing team did not have enough boys to participate that night, so they forfeited the game! This became the team’s only win that season. You should know not all of her prayers have been answered with such dramatic suddenness, and I’m still not sure how that prayer fit into God’s cosmic purpose, but that doesn’t change the fact our prayers matter to God.
Why should parents pray with and for their children? Because Jesus commanded that we pray, because Jesus modeled how we should pray, and because our prayers move God. It’s not so much that we are trying to change the heart and mind of God with our prayers, but rather, our hearts and minds are being changed when we pray. True prayer brings alignment with God’s will being accomplished “on earth as it is in Heaven.” Prayer is the conduit through which we get in sync with the will of God. Don’t you agree that takes precedence over points on a scoreboard?
Prayer is mysterious, yet miraculous. You can’t really explain it, but you can experience it. You may not fully understand it, but Jesus told us to undertake it. You may not know prayer’s boundaries, but you can know its benefits. If you’re not sure how prayer works, just be satisfied in knowing that it does. Prayer is probably the most misunderstood discipline of our faith. Ask God to help you better understand the mystery of prayer by discussing the Bible verses below.
Bible Study: Use Notes
What is something you learned about God or His character from the verses provided?
Mentioned in the verses provided, there are correct ways and incorrect ways of approaching God in prayer. What are some of those ways, both right and wrong? (Think attitudes, motives, heart.)
If you ever experience stress or worry during your child’s games, how might Philippians 4:6-7 settle you during the next game?
The Bible teaches us that God is not a celestial Santa Claus or a magic genie who is obligated to fulfill your every wish, but a good and wise Father who wants to be in a relationship with His children. How do these verses encourage you to approach God as a good Father rather than Santa or a genie?
If you need help organizing your prayers, review the ACTS method for prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supply.
Ask your child to pray with you on game day. This might happen before they leave the house for school, during a lunch break, or even while you’re driving them to the game. If your children are taking a bus or driving themselves to the game right after school, ask for a time you can pray over the phone with them. If you’re not used to praying out loud with your child, you could pray something like:
“Dear Lord, please keep (their name) from any serious injury today. Will you help him/her be a great teammate? Help them represent you well, no matter what happens, during the game. Will you help him/her exhibit grace and sportsmanship to the refs and opponents? I’m asking you to calm his/her nerves and to calm mine, also. Please help (their name) play with great effort and determination. Help him/her know what a blessing they are to me, but more importantly, help everything (their name) does on the field (or court) be pleasing in your sight. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”