A Prayer for Your Children

Father God,

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Ps. 23:1 ESV)

You are the Lord who is my shepherd. And so I come to you as Yahweh, your personal name that reflects the depth of your faithful character, the strength of your self-sufficient power, and your great love for me.

You are Lord over all creation, Creator God who spoke spinning galaxies into existence and also intimately weaves the DNA of each person deep in their mother’s womb. You are Lord over all the world, from each turn of global pandemics to the fall of a sparrow to the ground, nothing catches you by surprise. You hold it all within your strong hands. You are also Lord of me—my heart, my life, and my mothering. And so I place my children in your good, strong hands as well, for you are Lord of them.

Lord who is my Good Shepherd, would you also shepherd them? As I watch my children growing by inches in front of me, my ability to scoop them up into my arms and carry them becomes less and less each year. When my mama heart flutters with the uncertainty of how to lead these pieces of my heart who run and laugh around me, may I place them in the hands of the Good Shepherd and ask you to lead them? In the places and moments when their little hearts and lives can no longer be carried by me, would you carry them instead?

Good Shepherd, lead my children through green pastures of joy, restore their souls and lead them in the paths of righteousness for your name’s sake. And in the darkness of the valley of the shadow, filled with sorrow and loss, which they will walk—let them know you are with them. For the sake of your great name, which reminds us of the great promise of who you are, would you be their Good Shepherd who scoops them up and carries them close to your heart?

“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isa. 40:11 ESV)

In you, may they find they do not want—not because life is without sorrow or suffering, but because they find that you are better. You are better than the good gifts you give us: life, family, friends, the overflowing abundance of needs met. You are better than our deepest sorrow or greatest loss. Jesus, you are better.

Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who laid down your life for us. You came as the perfect Lamb of God to take our sin and suffering and die in our place. You gave us your righteousness so that we could call you our Shepherd and so that we would have no wants in life or in death.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:10-11 ESV)

May the promises and work of you, Jesus, never cease to astound and amaze my children all the days of their lives, so that in their great moments of joy and the depths of their pain, they will remember that you also walked through the greatest sorrow and suffering to secure their salvation. You offer us eternal life instead of death. You offer hope in place of despair. You offer peace in a world full of chaos. Oh Jesus, become the best thing in their lives, the Lord who is their Shepherd, the One who holds them close. Give them the gift of your peace so they will fear nothing and no one. Remind them of your great power.

Father God, good and holy Shepherd, you alone are full of perfect goodness and mercy. As my children grow this year and in all the years to come, whether in the inches I can measure or in paths of life unknown to me but perfectly known to you, be the goodness and mercy that follows them all the days of their lives. Let your goodness and mercy follow them through this life into life eternal, where sin and suffering are no more, where you will wipe every tear from every eye, and where they will find perfect rest and peace.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:6, ESV)

Amen.

Beth Sickel is a simple pastor’s wife who is married to her best friend and called mama by her four favorite little people. When she’s not drinking coffee or hiking with her family, she’s trying new dishes in the kitchen or blogging about creating space for Jesus conversations in your heart and home. You can find her over at RoomforWonderful.com.