Why doesn’t God Hear My Prayers for My Children?

Tanya felt crushed as she dusted her son’s room.  She couldn’t understand why he had talked back to her with such hostility just before he ran to catch the bus for school.  It wasn’t like him.

As she ran the Swiffer over the desk’s drawer fronts she pushed the second drawer to close it properly.  Something seemed to be stuck inside of the drawer and it wouldn’t close. She opened the drawer to rearrange the articles inside so it would close.  Then she sucked her breath in, in shock.  Was this paraphernalia to do with drugs?  Surely her 13 year old son was too young to be involved with drugs! They had a close relationship. Surely he would have discussed it with her or left some hints.

Tanya was especially upset because she prayed constantly for her children; that God would meet their needs.  She felt a resentment toward God envelope her. Why didn’t he keep her son safe when she prayed so faithfully?

As parents we all experience Tanya’s situation at times. We can’t isolate our kids from life and its dangers nor should we.  Children need to learn about the dangers of life and taught how to deal with them.  But if God cares about us and our kids why doesn’t He seem to hear our prayers? 

Over the years I have found there is a very effective way to pray for my kids.   I began praying God’s Word back to Him. God says His Word, the Bible, is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” [Hebrews 4:12] .  God also says that His Word shall not return to Him void, but it shall accomplish what He wants. [Isaiah 55:11]  As you pray for your child include an appropriate verse in your prayer. One such good verse if Psalm 34:17; “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

We need to pray for the present concerns but also for the future.  Often it’s praying against the effects of past events that makes the big difference to allow God to work in our children’s lives. It helps to make an extensive list personalized for each child. Yes, it’s a lot of work. Effective prayers are hard work and take our time and energy. When we only pray glibly and forget about it God sees we are not taking Him seriously.

Abraham was not afraid and did not hesitant to intercede for his nephew Lot whom he felt responsible for.  God heard his prayer but not in the way Abraham expected.  That’s how it is for us.  Sometimes God answers our prayer in a round about way which brings Him the glory and brings us into a closer relationship with Him.  We still get the joy.
              
Genesis18: 23 to 25 and 19: 29 The Living Bible
“Then Abraham approached him and said, “Will you kill good and bad alike?  Suppose you find fifty godly people there within the city – will you destroy it for their sakes?  That wouldn’t be right!  Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, to kill the godly with wicked!  Why, you would be treating godly and wicked exactly the same!  Surely you wouldn’t do that!  Should not the Judge of all the earth be fair?”…
“So God heeded Abraham’s plea and kept Lot safe, removing him from the maelstrom of death that engulfed the cities.”
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I want to walk with you spiritually this year, inviting you to read the Bible through from cover to cover; from Genesis 1 all the way to Revelation 22:21.  If that sounds too difficult for you and your kids, you can join in again after you have taken a break or join us for the days you’re up to it.  We will start on Sunday, January 18th and finish Saturday, January 16, 2010.  I promise that you will understand the Bible in a much deeper way if you read it through from cover to cover in a year’s time.

Accept my challenge to read the Bible through in one year chronologically, including the Old and the New Testament.

Day 8: Today read:
Genesis 18:16-19:38
Matthew 6:25-7:14
Psalm 8:1-9
Proverbs 2:6-15

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