Parents' Prayers For April

April 21  Help us to be a giving family

Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (John 12:2-3)

Lord, you delight in our love. Thank you for teaching us lessons about Lazarus family. He hosted a dinner party for you, and Mary brought out a very expensive perfume. Mary poured out this expensive perfume on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. Lord, this is such a beautiful image of devotion. May our family also learn this kind of devotion to the Lord. Teach our family to be like Mary and Martha, who acted in devotion and service to the Lord. Teach us to bring forth before the Lord our most precious treasures. In doing so, help us to be a family that confesses Jesus as our Lord, with thanksgiving.

Lord, what can we offer up to you in devotion? First of all, help us to offer you all of our love, and may this love for you become like the expensive perfume that Mary poured out on your feet.

We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

April 22  Teach us to serve one another

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should. (John 13:12-14)

Lord, you washed the feet of your disciples. Thank you for teaching us how to live a life of service through your example. Help us to learn to serve others by first learning to serve one another in our family.

Lord, help us to follow your example, just as you washed the feet of your disciples. Help us to think of others before ourselves. Help us to teach our children the meaning of serving others through your example. In doing so, allow us to taste what Heaven is like through serving and having Jesus as the Lord of our family.

We pray in the name of Jesus, who came as a servant. Amen.

April 23  Help us to become parents of faith

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise- "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1-4)

Lord, thank you for watching over us in this month of April. We give you thanks and praise! Thank you for giving us our daily bread and our good health. Thank you for guiding us in our walk of faith. Thank you for establishing this precious family and for calling us to have a restored relationship with God. Lord, receive all glory and reverence through our family. Help us to become a beautiful and spiritually healthy family. Help us to raise our children in the discipline of the Lord. Guide us and give us wisdom in rearing our children, and may we offer them back to you for your glory. We want to raise them as children of God, according to His Word as given to us in the Bible.

Help us to refrain from being too harsh, and taking advantage of our parental power, always remembering that they were created in the image of God. We pray that we may raise them as people of character whose spiritual heritage will be that of love. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

April 24   Help them to be children of faith

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise- "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1-4)

Thank you for giving our family the precious gift of children. The joy that they give us cannot be compared with anything the world has to offer. We gain insight into God's heart, love, forgiveness, patience, and provisions through raising our children. Not only this, but we also realize how much you love us and long to be with us. Thank you for showing us your “father-heart” through them.

Help our children to obey their parents in the Lord. Bless them to honor their father and mother so all things may go well with them, and they will enjoy long life on this earth. Help them to know that God has established parents in the family to whom they must show great respect.

We pray that these children may learn to love God and to grow in faith. Help them to meet and to know our invisible God. Open up for them the invisible spiritual world in which they may hear your voice and confess their faith. Help them to see the Kingdom of God through eyes of faith and share this fellowship of faith with others. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.