What kind of pray-ers will our children be? That is a great question to think about. If we want them to be serious about prayer, they must not only be taught but also shown how prayer is to be woven throughout everyday life. Here are some practical tips from Sally Michael to encourage your children in prayer.
- Gather your children when you hear of a prayer need and ask them to pray with you.
- EXAMPLE: When a problem comes to your attention, pray about it… “Susie, let’s pray for the people who were in the earthquake.”
- Take advantage of unexpected moments for prayer—spur of the moment prayers.
- EXAMPLE: When you see an ambulance, pray for the person who has the medical problem.
- Ask your child to pray for you. Give him specific things he can pray for.
- EXAMPLE: "I’m having a hard time with a project I am working on for my job. Would you pray for me?”
- Give your child a list of topics to pray for.
- EXAMPLES: Sunday school, play groups, family members, etc.
- Instruct your child on the different kinds of prayer.
- EXAMPLE: “I love you” prayers (adoration) or “I’m sorry” prayers (confession).
- Encourage your child to pray out loud and practice this in different situations.
- EXAMPLE: Visiting a sick friend.
- Build regular prayer into your family life aside from meal times and bedtime.
- EXAMPLE: On Saturday evenings, you could pray for the the next morning’s Sunday school time.
- Choose one or more prayer topics for each day of the week.
- EXAMPLE: On Monday, pray for relatives. On Tuesday, pray for unsaved friends. On Wednesday, pray for church staff.
