How to Pray for Your Child, pt.3
Stories are one of the best ways to learn. Stories help us remember important principles, by ingraining the situation in our mind for easier recall. This is one of the reason that God tells us his story in his word.
However, stories are not always true, and some of the best stories that we remember are fiction. The Three Little Pigs reminds us to be diligent and wise with our resources and time. Cinderella reminds us that external beauty fades and internal beauty is more virtuous. These are just examples of greatly told stories that we have passed down for generations to convey a basic principle of life to our children, and we remember them from our childhood so we can also pass them on.
The difference between these stories, and God’s story, is that God’s story is history. His story is truth. His story is an actual account of historical events, and personally, I believe they are much more riveting than fiction!
When Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan, and God moved the waters so they could pass, the Lord told them to erect a monument of twelve stones. He told them, “When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them” (Joshua 4:6-7). God intentionally commanded the Israelites to tell his story to future generations.
God is a storyteller. His story is true, and his story has a purpose. For the Israelite children, God wanted their parents to tell his story, to remind them to pass his works and deeds on to future generations. Why? So that they would not forget when they are older what the Lord has done for them.
King David recognized the importance of learning stories about God at a young age. He says, “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation” (Psalm 71:17-18).
What does this have to do with praying for your children? Pray that your child would hear and learn Bible stories that they will cherish for life and use to be reminded of God’s wonderful works.
It is our responsibility as parents to pass these historical retellings on to our children, and it is our responsibility to convey the meaning and principles of these stories. It is also our responsibility to pray that these stories would stick with our kids, that they would remind them to obey, and that they would be the basis for decisions they make in their life.