A Parent's Daily Prayer

Lord, I know the wisdom of this world is foolishness to You, but Scripture is breathed out by You and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness. I have no other source of absolute truth by which I should live my life.

Help me to be an example of love to my children by loving You and others because if I don’t have love, I am nothing. If I don’t discipline, instruct, correct, or encourage in love, I gain nothing. I can choose, despite my feelings, to love with my words and deeds. I can choose to speak and act in kindness, patience and truth. I can choose not to be arrogant, rude, irritable or resentful. I can choose to put others’ interests ahead of my own. Help me, Lord, to bear, believe, hope and endure all things.

I can only do it through Your divine power which has given me everything I need for life and godliness through my knowledge of You, having been called for Your glory and excellence. That knowledge comes through time spent in Your Word and in Your presence trying to discern what pleases You.

You have made my spouse and me one because You are seeking godly offspring. With Your help, I will obey Your Word and raise my children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord so that when they are old they will not depart from it.

Knowing that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks, help me to look beyond my children’s behavior and seek to restore their hearts. Give me wisdom to determine whether they need correction, discipline, encouragement or instruction.

I will expect first-time obedience and honor so that my children will be blessed by You. When discipline is needed, I ask for strength to restore them in a spirit of gentleness; to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry because my anger will not produce Your righteousness in them.

I will love You, Lord my God, with all my heart, soul and might. I will keep your commands on my heart so that I can diligently teach them to my children when we talk, walk, sit, lie down and rise up. I know that if I want to pass on genuine faith in You to my children, I must not only be a hearer or “preacher” of the Word but a doer also.

Lord, help me to stand firm, letting nothing move me because my labor in the Lord is not in vain. Help me not to grow weary in training or doing good, knowing in due season I will reap a harvest of righteousness and peace in the lives of my children.