It is a true saying that an individual is never more than he or she is on our knees before God. We can fast talk, make excuses and pretend all is well, but God knows the truth about each of us. He demands that we are a humbled people. What this means is that we know we need Him. Matthew 23:12 (NLT): “But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Stormie Omartian, well-known author and best seller, wrote a series of books on the power of prayer. One of her books is “The Power of a Praying Parent”. Her subtitle states, “Why Leave Your Child’s Life to Chance When You Can Give It to God?” She writes:
“Learn how to put your child’s life in God’s loving hands in such areas as safety, their walk with God, success in school, friends, family relationships, gifts and talents. It’s never too late to discover the joy that comes from being a part of God’s work in your child’s life. You don’t have to be a perfect parent. But you do need to be a praying parent.”
The author of the following prayer is unknown to me; however, a sincere prayer raised faithfully to the Lord from a humbled heart will produce much fruit in a parent’s life. God can honor this prayer if it comes from a right spirit. Psalm 51:10 (NLT): “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.”
“Heavenly Father, make me a better parent. Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say and to answer all their questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting them or criticizing them. Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes or resort to shame or ridicule when they displease me. May I never punish them for my own selfish satisfaction or to show my power. Let me not tempt my child to lie or steal. Guide me hour by hour that I might demonstrate in everything that I say or do that honesty produces happiness. May I ever be mindful that my children are children, and that I should not expect of them the judgment of adults. Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves and to make decisions. Bless me with the bigness to grant them their reasonable requests, and the courage to deny them the privileges I know could do them harm. Make me fair, just and kind, and fit me, O Lord, to be loved, respected, and imitated by my children, and help me always remember that better parents raise better children.”
This is a quote of which I do not know the author…”no parent can ever guarantee how his child will turn out, but I will tell you this, the best parent in the world will see to it, if he does nothing else, that he helps his children make the best decision they can ever make, and that is commit their life to Jesus Christ.”
