Prayer mechanics checklist for your children and grandchildren

deansimpson7
1 day ago
3 min read

Like riding a bike and learning to read, learning to pray should be a part of every childhood. Photo: Carlos Magno on Unsplash

BY CHARLES WHITE*

Imagine a schoolteacher saying to his class: “Maths is fun. Maths is useful. Math will never fail you. Class dismissed.” How much maths has he really taught? Absolutely nothing.

In this way, maths and prayer are very much alike. No child can hope to learn either without daily practice.

The shame is not that we fail to teach prayer in schools but that we fail to teach it in the home and the church.

We can view prayer as a car that needs to be maintained and repaired, or like maths as a skill that needs to be practised. It really doesn’t matter. When you look under the hood, you always find Jesus and his great love.

Share this checklist with your children and grandchildren. Like riding a bike and learning to read, learning to pray should be a part of every childhood.

Are you praying daily … first thing in the morning? Praying at least once a day is important. It helps us stay in tune with God, to walk with him. The first prayer of the day is much more important than the last. Pray before you get into trouble … not after. Pray early … not late … but whatever time you pray, pray at least once a day (Psalm 5:3).

Are you praying in faith? Do you believe God is real and that he is on your side? Can you picture God leaning over the edge of heaven, looking for ways to bless you and reward you? Or do you tend to blame God for the bad behaviour of the Devil and other human beings? Nothing can hurt a prayer more than a wrong idea of God. He is a fixer. He is a friend. He is a healer. He can be trusted. Trusting in this fact is what faith is all about.

Do you tell God what to do, or do you ask him? If you have been ordering God around, you will never learn the very best thing about prayer … God’s gentle spirit leading you to a better prayer and to fellowship with him (Jeremiah 33:3).

Are you praying with a pure heart? Are you angry with someone? Forgive them. Have you sinned? Repent. Are you ungrateful? Thank God for past prayers answered. Are you praying selfishly? Make a list of others to pray for (Matthew 6:14-15, Proverbs 28:13).

Is there an ‘altar’ in your home, a small table with an open Bible or a place where you regularly pray? There should be. An altar reminds us of the three great rules of prayer … practice, practice, and more practice. If there is no altar, we will not develop the prayer muscle, a daily prayer habit.

Is your prayer in line with Scripture? We cannot pray rightly without Bible verses, but we cannot understand those verses without praying for the Holy Spirit to help us. Scripture and prayer … you can’t do one without the other (Psalm 107:19-20).

Have you prayed with someone else? Scripture gives only two ways that human beings are joined: in marriage and in prayer. If you want your children connected to the church for life, find them at least three adult prayer partners and two peers. Praying with others is habit-forming … and addictive. Get connected … join a prayer group or start your own (1 Peter 5:13).

Are you praying in Jesus’ name? This could be many things because Jesus has many names: Healer, Saviour, Deliverer etc., but for sure it means praying with love because God is love. Praying in his name also means letting him come into your heart and guide the prayer as he would (John 14:2).

*Charles White is from Topeka Corps, Kansas, USA. He is a retired preschool teacher.