UPDATE II: All of my back to school prayers are collected now in one post and can be found here.
(UPDATE: In addition to the first two prayers below, I've added a third: Prayer for Teachers)
I recently posted a Prayer for When Your Child Leaves Home. That prayer was primarily (though not exclusively) directed to parents seeing their sons and daughters off to college or career.
It occurred to me today that in my files I had two other prayers I wrote several years ago, appropriate for this week when school begins: the first is a A Student's Prayer and the second is a Parent's Prayer for Students. In many communities students go back to school on a schedule staggered by grade levels. I hope I'm not too late to offer these prayers for you and your children.
You might think of praying the Student's Prayer with your children on the first day of school. Some families pray these words every Monday morning as a new school week begins. And the Parents' Prayer? Well, I know moms and dads who pray that every day of the week!
In addition to backpacks and lunch bags, the refrigerator door makes a good home for these texts if you print them out!
Grandparents, godparents and aunts and uncles: share these with the ones you love...
A Student's Prayer
Dear Lord,
Help me to be the best student I can be.
Help to study well and to study often,
especially when I don't feel like studying at all.
Help me to be honest when I'm tempted to cheat.
Help me to listen to my teachers and my coaches.
Help me to play fair and to play safely.
Help me to be kind to everyone at school
and especially to those whom others treat unkindly.
Help me to treat others as I would like them to treat me.
Help me to be a good friend to others.
Help me to help others who need my help.
Help me to do the best work I can do.
Help me to use all the gifts you have given me.
Help me to love and respect my parents.
Help me to trust in you, Lord, and in your love for me.
Help me, Lord, I need you!
Amen.
(Rev. Austin Fleming)
Parents' Prayer for Students
Dear Lord,
As my children leave for school,
I pray that you will keep them in your care.
Send your Spirit to open their minds
to all that is true and beautiful and good.
Help them to see the gifts and talents
you have given them
and to use them well.
Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom.
Help them to be kind to others
and lead others be kind to them.
Give their teachers patience and understanding
and help them teach what is just and true.
Send your angels to guide and guard my children
and to keep them from all harm.
Open their young hearts to your presence
and enfold them in your peace and protection.
Hold them in the palm of your hand
and bring them home safely at day's end.
Amen.
(Rev. Austin Fleming)
Prayer for Teachers
Dear God,
A new school day is about to begin
and my classroom door will soon open
to the students you've assigned to my care...
Open my mind and heart to each of them
and especially to the ones
who will challenge me the most...
Help me challenge my students, all of them,
to study, to learn, to grow in knowledge
and even in a little wisdom...
Help me remember, Lord,
how young my students are:
give me patience to help them grow up, at least a little,
and insight to know the help they need...
Help me to understand that sometimes
my students may not understand me:
may I be clear in the things I say and do,
and in how I say and do them…
These children don't know the burdens and worries
my heart may bring to the classroom,
so help me remember, Lord,
that their hearts may be anxious and heavy, too...
Keep me from favoring any particular students, Lord,
except for those who most need my help...
Let my decisions in the classroom
be fair and just, honest and true...
Send your Spirit to fill me with gifts
of knowledge and understanding, counsel and wisdom…
Lord, open my mind and heart to my students' parents,
especially those who will challenge me the most:
help me challenge them to challenge their children
to study, to learn and to grow...
Help me to teach as you teach, Lord:
make me firm when I need to be,
gentle in all things,
and patient until the last bell rings…
A new school day is about to begin, Lord:
I wonder: what will you teach me today?
Amen.
(Rev. Austin Fleming)
-ConcordPastor
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please THINK before you write
and PRAY before you think!