Dear Jesus, Thank you for our food....

Any of you that have strived to teach prayer to your children will probably relate to the struggle in what I am about to share.

It is hard to teach a child what Godly prayer is, but it is a job we are called to do. First of all, how do you begin to convey who God is to a six year old, or a ten year old? or how do you explain that He answers prayer according to His will and not just our desires? Through the years the kids have asked me questions like, why do we tell God things He already knows about? Why does He take so long to answer? How do you know He can hear me? How do my prayers change things?  Being honest, sometimes I have asked some of the same questions as an adult.

This burden to see our kids learn the importance and habit of conversing with their Father is something I have struggled with for many years.  I don't want our prayers to be calloused. I don't want them to be empty. I don't want it to be difficult or forced. I want it to be real. But, sometimes our prayers have sounded more like a list you'd give to Santa than words spoken to the God of the universe. How do you make sure prayer is more than a routine that ends the night or starts a meal? ughhhh.

When they were about ten, we started alternating praying. Pete and I would pray, then we would have them pray. This was good, but still, I continued to feel desperate to see their understanding for who they were talking to expand...for them to "get" that the God of the universe wants relationship with them, not just a token habit.

I know much of this understanding has to come from them growing in their own personal walks with Jesus,,,,but a few days ago, I had an epiphany. Or maybe it was that the Holy Spirit impressing something on my heart.

Jesus reminded me of how He taught the disciples to pray.

 Matthew 6:5-13
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray,  go into your room and shut the door and pray to you Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father nows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not in into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."

He also reminded me that the most powerful and life changing prayer times for me have been when I have prayed through, or prayed back scripture.

So, I started praying through the Psalms with the kids and we are crying the scriptures back to Jesus. When we finish with the Psalms, we will just continue with other scripture. IT IS AMAZING! There is such power in HIS WORD. and like He says in 2 Timothy3:16 "All scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness." What is so incredible has been getting to see how God is using His word to glorify Himself. The passages have been timely and relevant to our days happenings. The word is spurring on repentance and praise. I see a freedom that is being unleashed and the Spirit is revealing to them and to me more of who the God we are praying to is.

So, I had to share this. Could it really have been this simple all along? Just pray the Word and watch the Spirit do all the work?  The cool thing is that whether you have a two year old, or a 12 year old or a 22 year old, this practice will change their lives....It's changing mine!

Bre