Walker
The Bible tells us that children are a gift (heritage) from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). It also tells us not to hinder children from coming to the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them (Matthew 19:14).
In Matthew 18:10-11, Jesus tells us not to despise children, because their angels in heaven see the face of my Father.
With all of these verses in mind, it would be wise to take the stewardship of our children seriously, whether as a parent or as an adult overseeing their health and development. Which leads me to believe that we need to pray for wisdom and guidance as parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers, coaches, etc.
Jesus said, “apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). So how do we abide in Christ in order to bear fruit in our children’s lives? We spend time in the Word of God, and we PRAY! Yes, prayer is the most effective weapon in our arsenal to combat the fallenness of this world, and the advancement of God’s kingdom in the lives of our children.
Training them, teaching them, disciplining them and setting a good example for them are all important, and we should exercise them consistently from their birth onward.
But, none of our efforts are as critical as prayer. Here’s why: Our efforts will always fall short, because we only have so much capacity and ability to impact our children, but God’s wisdom and resources are limitless, and He always knows what our children need at any given moment in order to produce godliness in their lives.
And because prayer and our dependence on the Lord are so critical, we should pray as individuals, as families, as churches, and as a community. Thus, we offer the Community Praise and Prayer Gathering every year for all of us to come together and ask for God’s blessing on our children, and our school community.
This year’s event will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday at the auditorium inside Franklin Community High School, 2600 Cumberland Drive. Area pastors will lead the group together in praying for students, parents, faculty and staff before the school year begins. School leaders are also slated to speak during the event.
Following the general assembly, the audience is invited to go to the school of their choice to pray around the flag pole. A pastor and teacher from each school will be present at each Franklin school, as well as Franklin College, to help lead the small groups.
The event is open to the whole community. Come and join us as we worship the Lord, hear from school officials, and pray for the 2024-2025 school year!
Gary Walker is a pastor at Franklin City Church. Send comments to [email protected].
