Ins and Out of Prayer.........
There may be as many thoughts on prayer as there are praying people. While all prayer may be good, the Bible offers important insights into the how and whys of approaching God as individuals or in groups.
Reasons abound concerning the need for prayer. Even so those dedicated to the practice are dwindling. Less common still are those willing to regularly gather together for serious prayer, even over an issue as important to us as our children.
This being the case Praying Parents recommends being as inclusive as possible while adhering to Biblical standards. This can be challenging since there's not always agreement on the scriptures teaching on the subject.
Regardless in many of our personal beliefs we can all agree that prayer ranks high on the to do list of every Christian. This is no more true then when seeking God's presence, provision and protection for our families. As scripture reminds:
"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." Psalms 127:1
As parents seeking the Lord's favor for our households we should remember what an important role we play in the physical and spiritual development of our families. As Paul points out:
"Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Tim. 5:7-8
Like this passage, many scriptures point to God's concern for our families welfare. This being the case, during the present level of attack against traditional family values it makes perfect sense for Christians to band together in committed prayer.
Simple Suggestions
Given the great need and number of Christians you probably know, Praying Parents recommends gathering together regularly with friends and acquaintances concerned enough to pray. Unfortunately, with the level of heartache all too common in most families, it should be easy to find at least a handful of parents ready to commit to some form of regular prayer meeting.
Some find starting small and infrequently is helpful. Others like to jump in the deep end and invite anyone interested to meet weekly. Either way, it's safe to say sooner's better than latter and the more the merrier.
We recommend keeping your meetings friendly and relaxed. Allowing people the freedom to come as often as they like is a plus, as is meeting informally. Some sharing of needs and challenges is helpful to break the ice and keep everyone up to date. Often members will have an insight or scripture that's appropriate and helpful to share.
Once prayer's begun it's best to remain open to the Spirit's leading while maintaining a comfortable and inclusive atmosphere. Considering others before ourselves is always a good idea in group situations. In meetings dedicated to prayer over specific issues there's plenty of time for everyone to pray and their needs to be well covered in prayer.
More On Prayer
For an in depth study of prayer and information on various ways to pray as individuals and groups please click here to view our page on prayer on our companion site GodBlog.net where you'll find hundreds of articles and hours of audios on this and other vital subjects.