If 2020 has taught us anything, it should be pretty obvious that we don’t have as much control over our lives as we once thought we did. So many things we used to rely on are vulnerable (our health), confusing (our media and government), or unpredictable (well, most everything). It’s a sweet relief to remember that God has not been surprised by any of this chaos. Still, trusting Him is hard work for us fallen human beings, and we want to be able to do something in the midst of our circumstances.
With that in mind, we’d like to invite the Rooted community to pray together this week. Each day this week we will post a list of prayers, drawing from the deep well of God’s Word to nourish our souls as we cry out to Him together with one voice.
And because it’s our 10th anniversary here at Rooted, we’ve got the number 10 on the brain! We’ll pray 10 prayers each day for Parents; Students; Youth Pastors; Teachers, Schools and Leaders; and Churches and Ministries. We hope you will join us in lifting each other up to our good God.
Today we pray for students.
- Faith and Trust — Lord, we ask you to use this time to help our children/students grow in faith and trust. Help them to understand what it means to walk by faith, not by the sight of all the crazy things that are going on around them. We know they will grow in faith by hearing your word, and so we pray for opportunities to share your word with them. (2 Cor 5:7, Romans 10:17).
- Growth in Character and Hope — Father, we pray that this time will teach our children what it means to rejoice in sufferings. We pray that you would make them resilient and persistent, more like Christ with every passing hardship, developing their character and leading them to hope in you alone. (Romans 5:3-5).
- Peace — Lord Jesus, please give our kids your peace. We pray that this crazy time will lead them to take every single thing they are worried about to you in prayer, so that your peace, which passes all understanding, will guard their hearts and minds in you. That they might rest in your goodness and the certainty of your eternal promises. (John 14:27, Philippians 4:6-7).
- Companionship of Christ — Father, during this time of loneliness and social distancing, we pray that our students would experience your presence and friendship in a new and comforting way. You are God with us; that our students would sense your nearness. We pray that they might know the sweetness of fellowship with you and rest in the assurance that you will never leave them or forsake them. (Joshua 1:9).
- Love of God’s Word — Father we pray now that the kids/students we love would spend time getting to know you through your Word. Cause them to long for pure spiritual milk, that they might grow up into salvation. Grant them a desire for the meat of your Word so that they will grow into maturity. We ask that you give our kids a longing to know you better by reading their Bibles, and we pray that they will bring their questions to us so we can learn from each other. (1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:12).
- Health (physical) — Lord, as our students go back to school, we pray that you would protect them from this illness and its effects. Father, our bodies are good gifts, wonderfully made, and we pray that you would guard the children’s health, for their protection and the protection of those around them. (Psalm 139:14).
- Health (mental, emotional) — Jesus, please help our children/students rest in you, knowing that you have overcome this world. When the cares of their hearts are many, Jesus, may your consolations cheer their souls. Your spirit fills our kids with power and love and self-control, which they (and we) desperately need. When they pass through deep waters and endure fiery trials, Jesus, we pray they will feel your grip on them is steady and sure. Nothing — not a virus, not anxiety, not fear, not worry, not anger, not depression — nothing can separate our kids from the love you have for them in Christ Jesus. (Psalm 94:19, 2 Timothy 1:7, Isaiah 43:2, Romans 8:38).
- Maintaining Friendships — Lord, you know how important friends are to us, and especially to kids. Social distancing is really, really hard for kids to understand and maintain, and it’s painful for everyone that this virus has made friendships and community more complicated. Please, Lord, help our children to find and keep friends who love you, who are kind, encouraging, fun-loving, and sensible. Help our kids be true friends, loving as wisely and loyally as David and Jonathan did. Help parents support their kids’ friendships in responsible ways, always leaning on you for wisdom. And Father, help our kids to remember that you offer us your friendship and love, and we can rely on you no matter what happens with human friends.
- Ability to Learn — Lord God, in the midst of everything that is going on, please help the kids who are going back to school (online or in person) to focus and to learn. With masks and social distancing and unfamiliar protocols, school may feel weird this year. We pray that their minds will be focused and receptive to the knowledge they need. We pray that no child will escape their teacher’s careful notice, that in spite of all the concerns the teachers carry, they will be alert to every child so no one falls through the cracks. We pray that kids won’t be anxious about their school work, but rest, knowing that their grades have nothing to do with how dearly you love them.
- New Kids Father, for all the kids who are new to their schools, from kindergarteners to college freshmen, we pray that you will help them feel comforted and comfortable. We pray that their teachers/instructors would help them feel seen and supported and safe, so they can thrive as learners. We pray that these kids would make kind friends quickly, and that they would be brave enough to reach out and make other kids feel included too. Above all, we pray that in the midst of being new, each one of these kids would feel known and loved by you, their Creator and heavenly Father.
Conclusion
Though we can get tired in the waiting, Father, we know that your Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before you. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for you is worked into something good. May we live our lives absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and your love because of the way that Jesus has embraced us. We love you Father. Amen. (Romans 8:26-28, 38 MSG)
To conclude prayer week, we are hosting a prayer call via Zoom, and we would like to invite you to join us. On Friday at 11:00 CST, Rooted steering committee, staff, board members and friends will meet to pray boldly for all of our communities. To register for the zoom prayer call, please click here. We hope to “see” you there.
