Powerful pray-ers

Powerful pray-ers

Written by Christopher Lyon

Most kids, up to a certain age, are proud of their dads. My four-year-old son assumes I can do everything he dreams of doing, including playing in the CFL, operating a front loader and flying a space shuttle. I rarely correct him.

When I see my son’s unquestioning admiration, I wonder how I can ever live up to it. What can I do to help mould him into the person God wants him to be (before he begins to discover my disappointing humanity)?

The short answer? I can pray.

Why do guys hesitate to pray? Perhaps it’s because we lapse into thinking of our faith in God as a system of belief. We, too, quickly forget that our God is a Father. Our Father.

He’s not a father who will disappoint us. He could fly a space shuttle. He did build Mount Everest. My Father runs the universe, and He wants to help my kids. So, when it comes to my kids, what should I ask for?

For starters, let’s ask:

1. That they will trust in Jesus.

Our children’s greatest need is to know the Father for themselves. Salvation is the first step in a lifetime of learning to trust Jesus at ever-greater depths.

2. That they will become wise.

Wisdom is the ability to turn information into good decisions. Our kids need that in order to live healthy, God-honouring lives.

3. That they will receive discipline.

Our kids will never be the men and women we hope they’ll be without learning to accept correction with a teachable attitude.

4. That they will learn to forgive.

One of God’s direct commands to dads is not to push their kids toward anger. Ask God to help you avoid that and to help them forgive you when you fail.

5. That they will love the Father and love His Word.

Another command to dads is to pass on a passion for the Word of God. So ask God to give you a contagious enthusiasm for the Bible. Then ask Him to help your children love God’s Word even more than you do.

© 2009 Focus on the Family. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.

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