Sermon Notes: Praying for My Sons
I pray for the sick, those in the need, even for the future of my children (professions, spouses, choices they will make in years to come). But I rarely pray for my children in the present, here and now. Today there was a subtle nudge that I need to be better about that.
*E*, received his 3rd grade Bible in front of our church congregation this morning. He stood in front of the same congregation he was baptised in front of eight years ago. This was the same church-family who agreed to raise him in our family of faith. There we stood eight years later praying for him and thirty of his peers. This mother’s heart swelled with joy. It was a beautiful reminder how important family is outside of your typical definition of family. But also a poignant reminder of how important prayer is, every day.
So I question myself: Why don’t I pray for my children more often? I need to! I pray that my four boys will be godly men as they grow. That they will be examples of Christ at 17 (*J*), 9 (*E*), 6 (*C*) and even 14-months old (*L*). Their lives today influence who they are tomorrow, and next months and years to follow.
Today I pray for their insecurities, their compassion, their zest for life. I pray today not for their future but for their present day.
I pray that…
- They are gracious winners,
- and understanding losers.
- They fight a fair fight,
- know when to concede,
- or know when to walk away.
- They friend the friendless,
- and looked up to by their peers.
- These four brothers are teachers, learning to love each other despite their differences, even as siblings.
- They respect their dad and love their mom.
- They speak their mind with grace and conviction.
- They lend a hand not for self-gain but of compassion, others before self.
- They see all of God’s beauty in the autumn leaves, the harvest moon, the caterpillars, frogs and crickets.
- They find forgiveness in the seemingly unforgivable,
- yet, know when to say “No” so that they aren’t walked on and treated with disrespect that they don’t deserve.
- They believe IN God not just /about/ God, and by the same token,
- Love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul and mind are words etched in the very fabric of their being.
- Honesty, Integrity, Loyalty are words used to describe them today as well as tomorrow and the next day and the next.
What a gift I have been given in these four beautiful boys. May they be reminded themselves that each day is a gift to be unwrapped, jumped into, shared and savored for all it is worth!
– Leanne from MilitaryAvenue.combyLeanne KocsisonSunday, October 09, 2011
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