Powerful Prayers for God’s Direction for our Children
Powerful truth for our children can be found in Jacob’s encounter with God.
God can bring our children to a certain place where he reveals Himself in a real and personal way. Until God reaches into our hearts with the ladder of his love, we are all Jacobs wandering in desolate places, unsure of what the future holds.
Powerful dreams for our children come when God reveals his plans.
The glory is in the vision and promise of God and the accessibility of heaven reaching in to the heart of a wandering young man. There are moments, certain places and times, that God chooses to reveal himself, to unfold a future and a hope. God initiates this dream because He wills to do so, not because Jacob did the right thing. Not even because Jacob was seeking God.
God’s promise of his presence.
More important than visions, ladders and angels are the promises of presence that God speaks:
I am with you…
I will keep you…
I will bring you…
I will not leave you…
“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it” (Genesis 28:16).
Now Jacob knows what is true, “ God has been with me and I did not know it.”
Powerful prayer for our children:
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#parentprayer”]Lord, meet our children in the journey, right in the middle of coming and going.[/tweetthis]
Meet them in the decisions and the growing, the choices and the wondering. Bring each precious soul to a certain place—a place certain and confident in your promise and presence.
[tweetthis]Powerful verses to pray for our children with free printable.[/tweetthis]
For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.—Psalm 71:5
For the Lord will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.—Proverbs 3:26
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.—Proverbs 14:26
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. –Jeremiah 17:7
For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. –Jeremiah 29:11
“I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted…I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You…–Job 42:2, 5
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. –Philippians 1:6
So that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”– Hebrews 13:6
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. –Hebrews 14:16
Lord, show our children through their own experiences, dreams, and questions that you are their God. Take them beyond information into the power of revelation as they discover…
You are with them.
You will keep them.
You will bring them.
You will not leave them.
Yes Lord, bring all our Jacobs to a CERTAIN place of confidence in you.
How can I pray for you or your children today?
This is the third post of a short series.
1. Powerful Truth Gives Direction to Our Children
2. God’s Powerful Dreams for Our Children Give Direction
Download the images from today’s post along with a companion printable graphic with the prayer verses when you subscribe to Ginger’s Corner. Enjoy!
I’m linking with Coffee for Your Heart, Three Word Wednesday, and #TellHisStory.
God’s Powerful Dreams for Our Children Give Direction
Lessons from the life of Jacob: Part 2
Part 1 :Lessons from Jacob’s dream hold powerful truth for our children.
When dreams become vision.
Jacob has grasped for a future that belonged to another. He has done everything in his power, right or wrong, to gain power, position, and security. Are we much different? Are our children?
In this reaching, the action is all Jacob—his striving, his manipulating, his work, his dishonesty. It is the flesh-work of a sinful man desperate to secure the blessing of both his God and his father.
Though I have not stolen the birthright of another, I have often chosen not to trust God with my future, working my own devices to gain position and security that will fulfill dreams. The methods may differ, but in some way, I share the same kinds of sin with this Jacob of days long, long ago.
And so does my son.
And so do my daughters.
And so do we all.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#parentspray”]We all need the truth of a certain place with God.[/tweetthis]
Until we have come to that certain place in which God makes himself real to us, we will all strive and strain and grasp and pretend and worry and work and manipulate to make ourselves feel OK, to find success, and to gain security.
Until God reaches into our hearts with the ladder of his love, we are all Jacobs wandering in desolate places, unsure of what the future holds.
“And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants.” –Genesis 28:13-14
Rather than point the finger of judgment for sin, God reveals Himself to Jacob, “I am the LORD…” Rather than lectures of condemnation, God gives this young man a promise and a vision for his future.
God’s dreams for our wandering hearts.
So often we make this story about Jacob, but in truth it is a picture of the magnificent heart of God for his people. Not the perfect people, but the flawed, grasping, striving, wandering, wondering ones.
[tweetthis]God gives dreams for the future with what will be rather than what has gone wrong. [/tweetthis]The glory is in the vision and promise of God. The best dream of all is the accessibility of heaven reaching into the heart of a wandering young man.
Hope for the future.
There are moments, certain places and times, when God chooses to reveal himself, to unfold a future and a hope. God initiates this dream because He wills to do so, not because Jacob did the right thing.
Not because Jacob deserved it.
And not even because Jacob was seeking God.
God’s future plan for Jacob was not dependent on having a desire to honor and follow God. As a parent with my children standing on the brink of adulthood, this is a powerful concept of grace.
God gives the blessing of opportunity—the promise of land, value, position, family, and significance. What else could Jacob need? What else could he want? Every fundamental need that drives a soul to seek and strive in the flesh is provided for in God’s vision for his future.
God has a vision and plan for the future of each one of us. As we pray for our children, let’s pray that God will bring them to that certain place to discover God’s dreams for their lives.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#prayingparent”]Lord, touch our children with your dreams for their lives.[/tweetthis]
What dreams has God initiated in your life? In the life of your children?
Powerful Truth Gives Direction to our Children
Lessons from the life of Jacob.
Lessons from the life of Jacob.With mistakes fresh in his past and the stolen blessing of his father in his pocket, a young man makes his way through the wilderness. He runs from the wrath of his brother, and each step takes him farther from home. Every mile brings him closer to the unknowns of the future. He is on his way and in the midst of his journey.
A certain place.
“Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place.”–Genesis 28:10-11
This young man, Jacob, comes to a certain place that has been marked on the calendar of God for a life-changing encounter.
Grasping for what belonged to a brother, does he wear the weight of guilt like a coat? This one who takes what he wants, does he wonder if he has what it takes?
Partway between yesterday and tomorrow, between past and future Jacob squints into the setting sun as the day closes. He is alone. More alone than he has ever been.
- Alone—brothers divided.
- Alone—parents left behind.
- Alone with his plotting and striving.
Under a thick black sky, he lays his head on a rock, with the grit of the trail clinging to his skin. It is another reminder that he has left the comforts and security of home far behind.
What thoughts drift through his mind as he sinks into a heavy sleep? Is he thinking of his sins and mistakes? Does he wonder what tomorrow will bring? Is he homesick, regretting his actions?
When God becomes real.
Jacob has grown up hearing the stories and promises of the God of his fathers. Again and again, the history has been retold by light of the evening fire. Yet though he knows the stories, they have not become truth to him yet. God is still impersonal, shrouded in the mist of someone else’s experience.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#parentprayers”]Our Children need the truth of a certain place with God.[/tweetthis]
I have a son, a young man who stands at the brink of adulthood, the future opening before him as he takes his college diploma in his hand. My daughters stand right behind him as they all prepare for adulthood. Maybe that is why this familiar story touches my heart with a fresh urgency.
How did this time come so quickly? Seems like only a few years ago that I held his tiny, perfect body close to my heart for the first time. Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago he was tearing into the house with roller blades on his feet and braces on his teeth?
The rites of childhood and the passage of adolescence have come and gone. He stands tall and strong, with a heart full of dreams for the future. He also carries the uncertainty of knowing for sure what he wants to do, what direction he is headed.
He stands in an uncertain place.
Strategic truth gives direction.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#prayingparent”]There is a time in every child’s life that is of strategic importance in the direction they will choose. [/tweetthis]As a parent, I pray that all of our children will come to a certain place marked by God for revelation and transformation. A pivotal place for truth to become experience that molds a life with the hand of God.
Yes that certain place is a time ripe with the presence of God intervening in a life to give direction and purpose.
Are you praying for God’s certain place for someone in your life?
Sometimes God speaks too deeply to the heart to be contained in a single blog post. Here are the other posts that continue this story:
God’s Powerful Dreams for Our Children Give Direction
Powerful Prayers for God’s Direction for Our Children
Get a free download of the graphics from this post and a beautiful printable list of verses to pray for your children when you subscribe to receive my emails.
New Beginnings: Praying Through the Milestones in Our Kids’ Lives
I always feel awkward about asking folks to share my work, but if this series would encourage someone you know, please pass it along.
Today I’m linking with the community of bloggers in these lovely places: #RaRaLinkUp, Testimony Tuesday, Three Word Wednesday, #TellHisStory, and Coffee for Your Heart.
Days at Summer’s End
Enjoy the summer moments–the memories, the laughter, and the sun that drenches our days with light and grace. Memories gather like sea shells on the beach. Golden moments with family and friends. Summer jumps with joy of toes in the sand...
Is Your Soul Out of Sync?
The word sync has to do with harmonious relationships–at least two things that are working together in a good grove. Originally it was used in the movie industry to indicate whether or not the sound was matching up with the action. We can all remember old films where the actor’s mouth moved and then the dialogue followed a bit behind, words out of sync. This is the effect of close, but not quite right.
Don’t you love it when life syncs up nicely?
When things are in sync in my life, everything seems to roll along smoothly. People get where they are supposed to be, dinner finds its way to the table on time, bills are paid, tempers and irritations are held in check, spirit, family, work, health, and friends somehow balance–for the most part.
Reality.
There will be a period of relative calm, productivity, good will…things are in sync. My prized synchronization of life and soul slowly unravel, first one little habit or relationship is ignored. Preoccupied, I ignore the downward slide. Now out of sync, something else reacts to the magnetic pull of the disruption and skews out of balance. Before I know it, my lovely productivity and harmony is once again a goal to work toward.
Out of sync…again.
Let me fill in some of the details on this crazy cycle that comes like the seasons or the tide, seemingly inevitable. The busier or more disrupted life gets, the harder it is to exercise consistently. One workout gets sacrificed to a deadline or activity, and then another….and another. Lulled into the haze of the busy, the eating habits begin to slide as well. The spurge-worthy becomes the normal. The end result of exercise and diet getting out of sync shows up on the scale and on the hips.
Spiritually out of sync?
Here’s another example of how quickly important things in life slip out of sync. Let’s talk about the spiritual workouts of the soul, depth in prayer and conversing with God through the scriptures. [tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#quiettime”]Disrupted summer schedules make an easy excuse to skip time meditating on God’s Word. [/tweetthis]One day blends into the next day filled with things to do, people to see, and places to go. “Tomorrow, Lord, I’ll get to it tomorrow…”
Now I have long left the stage of obligation and duty in my devotional time with God. I know that God’s Word feeds my soul. I look forward to discovering what He has to say each time I open the well-worn blue leather cover of my Bible.
Yet still, it is all too easy to slip out of sync and my soul-strength shrivels. Soul out of sync, my insecurities and selfish desires rise up. Molehills turn into mountains and I get irritated more quickly. Motivation slips away and I’d rather play than work. I indulge in negative self-talk as if it were hot fudge on ice cream, yet the taste is bitter to my heart.
Frustration fights with peace until I finally turn.
Lay it down.
Let it go.
Repentant and seeking, I open my Bible with an apology on my lips instead of a prayer.
The light of God’s encouragement reminds me of what I have known but missed. Father speaks kindly to my self-condemning spirit as I write the words that echo in my heart.
Frustration and motivation– these are the dogs that nip at your feet. Do not be distracted by your emotions; press forward and keep moving, keep seeking Me. I am always here, always a part of you, Child of God. The best way through spiritual lethargy is to fall back on discipline-keep coming and keep drinking.
I will wash away the false pressures and the tempting distractions of your life.
Your task is to come and surrender yourself as a living and holy sacrifice. Put your heart in my hand and be reminded that your efforts do not make you righteous. My gift is grace and renewing the soul out of sync is my specialty.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@GingHarrington” hidden_hashtags=”#worship”]Worship puts your heart in sync with God.[/tweetthis]
Ready to recharge your spirit at the tale-end of summer? Try these ideas to refresh your spiritual routine.
Are you in or out of sync in your life today? How do you get yourself back on track? I’d love to hear from you:) Check out the links in the post for lots of ideas for getting your soul in sync.
Grab this Free Checklist to Create Habits of Rest
Do you need more rest in your life? Discover the benefit of building small habits to decrease stress and empower you to rest body, soul, and spirit. After all, rest includes so much more than sleep. Don’t miss the free printable Habits of Rest Checklist to help you create rhythms of rest in your life. Make your personalized plan to get the rest you need.
Overcome the Things that Hold You Back
A powerful encouragement for anyone who struggles to overcome anxiety, perfectionism, insecurity, or other mindsets that hold us back. Grow in holiness without the pressure to have everything “just right.” Through gentle encouragement, biblical insights, and applicable ideas you can experience a deeper life of freedom in Christ. Transparently sharing my own struggles, I want to help you live from the reality of hope, healing, and holiness.
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate link at no cost to you. Any books I recommend are resources I value and want to share.
Check Out Related Articles
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- How to Care for Your Soul: Best Tips from 13 Christian Bloggers
I’m syncing with these communities: Coffee for Your Heart, #TellHisStory, #ThreeWordWednesday, #RaRaLinkUp, and Thought-Provoking Thursday.
How to Drive Your Teens Crazy in Four Easy Steps
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@GingHarrington” hidden_hashtags=”#parentinghumor #parentingteens”]Good parenting involves the art of driving your teens crazy.[/tweetthis] Some parents have mastered the skills necessary to...
Will I Love my Neighbor?
The day is cold with a biting bitter wind. I pull my hat down over my ears and rush to keep up with my family. This is our first visit to New York city, and feeling out of place, I stop to look at the display in a store window. I admire...
Who is My Neighbor?
Part 1 of this story is here.
Authenticity is a popular word at the moment. More than trendy, authenticity creates a pathway to love God with our lives. When an insincere lawyer questions Jesus, he has all the right answers when he recites to the Lord, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27).”
This man, the expert in the law, knows the words of God’s most important command, but he misses the heart of the message. Loving God effects every aspect of our lives–emotions, desires, motivations, thoughts, words, and actions.
Loving God with our life can’t help but seep into our relationships with others. Love your neighbor as yourself. Most of us know this phrase. We’ve said it many times. Yet loving God is incomplete without loving others. How often we try to separate the two concepts. Do we elevate the relationship with God and neglect our relationships with others?
“Who is my neighbor,” asks the lawyer, looking for a way to justify himself and somehow come out on top of the conversation. Again, the motivation of his heart is far from loving God as he seeks to prove his religious superiority with a smug, clever question. This is a battle he cannot win.
To answer his question, Jesus tells a simple story that slices through hypocrisy and lays open the intentions of too many hearts. Jesus answers with a living color picture of the human condition that is far more comprehensive and divisive than the religious man expects.
The meaning of the word neighbor is as broad as anyone and as specific as the person in need right in front of us. It cuts through our notions of self-importance and our facades of compassion. It rips the pretense of our religious postures, exposing the condition of the heart and the tendency to by-pass the needs of others.
The good Samaritan.
Here is the neighbor: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead (Luke 10:30).”
The condition of this neighbor is one who has been beat up with the hardness of life and the evil of the world. He lays on the roadside, bruised, bleeding and in visible, urgent need of help. His valuables have been stolen and he is stranded and broken on the sidelines of life.
“And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side (Luke 10:31).”
The priest shows a lack love and concern for others. He sees the blood-red need, and crosses the road to avoid the problem. In a hurry, on his way, the priest chooses to by-pass the need. Maybe he doesn’t want to be late?
Does he have more important things to do? Did he mentally tally up his priorities and decide he couldn’t stop? Or did he simply not want to trouble with getting involved, getting his hands stained with the problems of the one in need?
At times the familiarity of this story causes me to rush through the details and miss the impact.
Along comes another religious man, “Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side (Luke 10:32).”
And another man, another religious official, passes by.
Another layer to the story. Confident in position, these men have excuses…reasons why they can’t stop. Won’t stop.
I have excuses too. Do you?
Jesus reveals the uncomfortable truth that what you see is not always what you get. At the heart of hypocrisy is the tendency to create a pious façade, to play the part, even while living a life devoid of love and concern for others.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#goodsamaritan”]A lack of authenticity tempts us to love ourselves instead of our neighbor.[/tweetthis]
Truly, brokenness mars the lives of all three of these men.
Who is my neighbor?
This story is really about the choices we make in how we respond to the needs of the ones God puts in our path. This story is not a call to help everyone with needs and problems. It is a call to do what we can to help the hurting person right in front of us.
The one we have to go out of our way to avoid.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#goodsamaritan”]When we love God with our lives, we love our neighbor too.[/tweetthis]
Where are we crossing the road to avoid dealing with a person in our lives? Who is our neighbor at this moment in time?
How to Love God with Your Life
Questions come dressed in all kinds of reasons. Questions can muse and ponder, struggle and scrape, or probe and pierce. There are questions that hurt, desperate for a healing touch. Others yearn for a word of wisdom to strengthen a floundering...
