Every night before Abiah goes to bed we pray together. I have always encouraged him to pray about whatever is in his heart or on his mind. Most of his prayer topics are "normal" kid prayers but he always seems to have a specialty prayer for a few weeks or months. And every once in awhile he gets goofy and starts praying for his sisters dolls or his imaginary friends. I've had to stifle many a giggle on many a night.
For a long time his specialty was, "Help us have a good day yesterday. Help us have a good day today. Helps us have a good day tomorrow." Sometimes he still says it. It's so cute. But his recent specialty prayers have been more insightful and challenging to me in my own prayer life.
First of all, he has been very interested in Satan and his role in the present, past and future. He is continually asking questions way beyond his maturity level and mine, too! We've told him who Satan is and how he came to be and about his plan against us as children of God. We've talked about his lies and his tricks and how much he hates us but wants us to think he loves us. Abiah has struggled with fear at bedtime and there have been so many conversations about choosing to listen to God not Satan.
So he recently began praying, "Help me to shut up Satan and to not shut up you (speaking to God, of course). Help Jesus to punch Satan in the face and to cut his eyes out with a sword. Help you to come back soon. And help me not to listen to Satan's lies and to not be afraid. And help me to be obedient. "
He's six. And he blows me away. He has such a strong disgust for Satan. When he talks about him you can here the anger in his voice. And most of the time when he is being naughty I can just remind him that He has a choice to listen to Satan and be disobedient or to listen to God and obey. And he changes almost instantly. And his Bible school work is only helping! He loves learning about God, the stories in the Bible, and their application to his life. And I'm learning, too! Mostly from Abiah's questions!
The second specialty he has added is, to me and I'm sure most people, so precious. Out of his own accord he started praying, "And help Mommy and Daddy to teach me and Millie and Hazel to be a good husband and good wives. And help us to teach our children. And help them to teach their children. And help it go on and on and on and on. For a long time." He's praying for future generations many generations removed from him!
To be honest, most days I get busy and don't even take the time pray. At all! And here he is praying for his great-great-great grand children. What a little man and a wonderful example.
3 comments:
Your right about it being precious. Your father and I are wiping away tears. Wow! The words that have been spoken over him usally said that God had a great purpose for his life. Could this be one, praying for His future generations? Amazing!
I love this post. My work is absorb with future generations so Abiah's prayer is so meaningful to me. He is destined to be one of the leaders in a generation that is going to play a crucial role in the coming of the Kingdom of God to earth as it is in Heaven.
This makes me miss that lil man all the more!! He's growing up to to fast! I remember when he was a little guy at the cottage, saying "Shrupadee" and "Shrupadoo." I'm excited to see how he matures and grows into a man. I feel so honored to be a part of this!!
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