The Importance of Prayer

A few generations ago, in many families, the way to begin and end a child’s day was with prayers. They were recited out loud, usually beginning and ending with requests for God to bless the child’s family and friends. Today, however, in most homes, prayers have disappeared, except perhaps before meals. To encourage your family and your students to pray regularly (even for a minute or two at a time), try the following suggestions:

 •    Point out blessings as you notice them. Say a brief prayer of thanks with your students for the beautiful sunset, a rainbow, a rabbit scurrying across your path, or the rain.

 •    Give thanks for the small acts of kindness you catch your students doing (sharing a toy, giving another child a turn, saying “please”).

 •    Let your students share some of the praises and blessings in their own lives. Or point out some blessings for them. Say, “I’m so thankful to God for that yummy fruit we just ate.”

 •    Help your students verbalize some of their own praises and blessings. Say, “[Jason], why don’t you thank God that your grandma is home from the hospital.”

 •    Since children are great imitators, try spending some quiet time in prayer by yourself, and let your child know that you are also having your own conversation with God.

Picture This!

Here's one way you can lead your students in group prayer. Collect a number of pictures that have to do with the theme of your lesson. Place the pictures on the floor and talk about each picture. Then ask the children to select one of the pictures they would like to talk to God about.

If the pictures are of nature items, they might want to thank God for all that He has created. If the pictures are of people around the world, they might want to pray for the missionaries ministering in that country. If the pictures are of vocations or activities, the children might want to pray for the people who do what is shown in the pictures. Or they might want to thank God for the people in that vocation.

If you support a child through Compassion International or World Vision, bring pictures of your child or other children in countries around the world. Let each child choose a picture of a child and pray for that child and his or her family. The pictures can help your students think of something (or someone) specific to pray about.