Hour of Prayer

"Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children." Lamentations 2:19

Ever so often our church does a "24 hours of prayer" where members are encouraged to sign up for one hour on a set day to pray for a specific matter. This month's prayer focus is our schools as they get started back and since my husband and I are both educators, this really hit home with us. We quickly signed up for an hour which took place last night. When I thought about praying for an hour that seemed like such a long time to only pray for one thing. Boy was I wrong! Our pastor gave us somewhat of an outline with 9 different things to pray for along with scriptures to claim. That proved to be very helpful and powerful. I want to share those 9 things as well as some of the scriptures so our numbers of prayer warriors for our schools might increase!

1. Praise the Lord for our children.
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." Psalm 127:3

2. Pray our kids will understand they can be the influencers in their schools as they display salt and light. They will be the ones creating peer pressure of good!
"You are the salt of the earth...you are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:13-14

3. Pray our children will become missionaries willingly and boldly sharing the truth of Jesus Christ with their classmates.
"Pray that I'll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all..." Ephesians 6:19

4. Pray for the protection and safety of our kids and schools across the nation.
"God, You're my refuge. I trust in You and I'm safe! He rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you--under them you're perfectly safe; His arms fend off all harm." Psalm 91:2,3

5. Pray for teachers, administrators, counselors, and support staff.
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of the mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water." Psalm 1:1-3

6. Pray for parents and their service as volunteers to teachers and school activities.
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." I Peter 4:10

7. Pray for a spirit of excellence in the classroom, on the playground and in athletic events.
"And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes fairly..."
II Timothy 2:5

8. Pray for healthy, godly relationships and friendships.
"A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." Proverbs 12:26

9. Pray for revival in our schools.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Matthew 5:6

Working in the education field we see first hand how much prayer is needed for our schools. Peer pressure is an overwhelming challenge for students and trying to overcome horrific home lives for many is just a way of life. God reminded me last night how "proud" the world is of their actions...drinking, drugs, cussing, sex. They want everyone to know how they live. Yet what about us Christians? Do we shine our light brightly and shout our testimony from the rooftops? Our schools need a revival to sweep through them but how when Christians aren't willing to stand up for God and cover those schools with prayer?

The thought of sending our children to schools where sinful nature is prevalent is quite scarey for me as a mommy. I know that only God can make a change in those schools so all I can do is pray and...
"Train up a child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from them." Proverbs 22:6

I pray that in my lifetime a wave of revival will sweep through our schools and Christians will be the resounding majority and that sin will have no place in the doors of our classrooms!