When I first tested positive for pregnancy, my husband and I did a double take. We didn’t believe the results.
We took another test—again, two faint blue lines. We were overjoyed—and the very first thing we did was to clasp our hands together to pray. We thanked God for His gift of a baby, asked Him to keep our child safe and healthy, and prayed for him or her to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour one day.
From the very beginning, our son’s life was marked by prayer. From the moment I entered the delivery room to the early frazzled newborn nights, to his overactive toddler moments, my husband and I constantly prayed for our son’s growth in every area of his life.
As he continues to grow, I foresee many more prayers for him—prayers that you’ve probably said for your children over the years: for their health and safety, for a desire for God and His Word, for their studies and exams, for friendships and peer influence, for obedience and discipline, for stress and transitions, for their relationships and career choices . . . the list is never-ending.
Moments with My Heavenly Father
Featuring 100 prayers anchored by verses from Genesis to Revelation, this book will help mothers draw closer to God through short, reflective prayers for themselves and their families.Get a copy
Every month, we roll out a new resource for parents and children. To find out about these offers, why not subscribe to our email updates? Stay informed about the latest resources available, and be the first to get a copy!
Interceding . . . Without Intimacy
Over the years, however, I came to realise that I was praying more for my child and his needs—physical, spiritual, emotional, social, and academic—than for myself. My relationship with God was characterised less by a personal intimacy with my heavenly Father, and more by intercession for my child.
We can—and should, of course—pray for our children. But it can be easy for parents to end up prioritising prayer for our children over our personal devotion to the Lord.
It was definitely true for me. Even though I knew I needed to pray for my own walk with God and grow my personal relationship with Jesus, I faced a constant struggle to do so. And if you’re like me—sleep-deprived, energy-drained, overworked, and plain overwhelmed—you might be facing the same challenge, too. Especially when the kids are fighting, there are chores to be done, and urgent deadlines are looming . . .
We can—and should, of course—pray for our children. But it can be easy for parents to end up prioritising prayer for our children over our personal devotion to the Lord.
Yet, Jesus himself calls out to us in John 15:4–5: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Abiding in Jesus means remaining with Him and staying close to Him. That means reading, reflecting on, and obeying His Word. And it also means praying, for prayer is what keeps us closely connected to our Father as we go about life and parenting.
Praying is not just asking God for outcomes, because if that’s what it’s all about, we might soon lose interest in it. More importantly, it is about relating to God, hearing from Him, and taking part in what He is doing. It is about being in His very presence.
When we pray, we are drawing near to God to have a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. We are seeking to understand Him and His will for us—to love Him more, to obey His commands, to align our will to His, to be thankful in every circumstance, to walk faithfully before Him in everything we say and do, and to be faithful with the days He gives us.
The Greater Reward
When my son was born, we were advised by many: Continue to date your spouse. Don’t just talk about the baby. Spend time as a couple without your child.
If we only talked about our kids, my husband and I were warned, over time, our marriage could become a purely functional one that revolved around them and their needs. Then, when they grew up and became more independent, we could find ourselves in a relationship with a stranger.
We took that advice seriously. Even today, we try to make it a point to chat every evening about how our day went, and to have a weekly date night (which basically means sitting on our bed watching movies and eating ice-cream with our son fast asleep beside us). I believe that our intentionality and persistence in spending time together and enjoying one another’s presence—aside from child-rearing—has helped nurture our marriage.
In the same way, we need to tend to our own personal relationship with God—in prayer, in worship, and in meditation on His Word.
Praying is not just asking God for outcomes, because if that’s what it’s all about, we might soon lose interest in it. More importantly, it is about relating to God, hearing from Him, and taking part in what He is doing.
Of course, that can be a real challenge amid the busyness of family life. I’ve tried to keep to a daily prayer routine, setting aside time to talk with God at around the same time each day. I’ve also found that what works for me is praying on the way to work, jotting down prayers in my online journal, and uttering short prayers throughout the day when needs arise, whether for myself or others.
If we leave prayer to chance, chances are, we simply won’t pray.
Prioritising personal intimacy with God will require effort. It will require time, although how much we can set aside will be different for each one of us. It will require creativity, as we learn to pray in between chores, childcaring, and the myriad of things we do daily. It will require being still, as we learn to put away our phones, to-do lists, and distractions. And, it will require perseverance, as we press in to pray even when we’re tired and when little hands and mouths are all around us.
Yet, I believe, the reward will be greater, the peace deeper, and the relationship stronger.
May our lives as women of God, sisters in Christ, and mothers of our children be marked by a devotion to prayer, that’s characterised by watchfulness and thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2). And may our watching children learn from our example, as they, too, grow up and perhaps become mothers and fathers themselves one day.
Extracted from Moments with My Heavenly Father: 100 Prayers for Mothers from Genesis to Revelation, published by Discovery House Publishing © 2024 by Wendy Wong.
