In our community, many families are starting the school year today. It is an exciting and yet anxious time for many.
If your heart is concerned with anxiety or worry today for your family, I want to help give you some focus for your prayers.
King Solomon was described as being wiser than any other man (1 Kings. 4:31). He wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes to chronicle how unwise decisions bring about meaningless pursuits (Ecc. 2:11). He authored the Book of Proverbs as a way to teach his children (Prov. 1:8) to know how to identify true wisdom (Prov. 1:2).
In Proverbs 3, Solomon instructs his son concerning how to live wisely.
1 My son, don’t forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commands;
2 for they will bring you many days, a full life, and well-being.
3 Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you. Tie them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.
7 Don’t consider yourself to be wise; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones.
9 Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest;
10 then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe His discipline;
12 for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.
What are some of the things that Solomon warns his son concerning? Did a few of those phrases pop out to you? They sure do for me and for my family!
If you could press rewind over your life, which of these instructions do you wished you would have listened to more? I look over that list and think of how I wish I would have gotten a lot of that sooner.
You may or may not have children living in your home right now, but we each have family members that we desire to draw closer to God. Maybe your family members aren’t embarking upon another school year but they still could benefit from your prayers.
Choose at least one family members and begin to pray Proverbs 3:1-12 over him or her. You probably will have to pray with your eyes open aware of where you are in the text, but this process will cause you to pray some things that you may have never prayed about concerning this family member.
As you pray, you will find yourself praying for:
- Safety
- Favor
- Obedience
- Finances
- Holiness
- And more
Use this time to cover many areas of your family member’s life. I am praying for you parents that you can cast all your cares before the Lord because I know he cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7). Pray Scripture over your child (John 15:7) and I pray that the steadfast mind of perfect peace (Isa. 26:3) will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:6-7).
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.