Day 29 ìn the Lenten Season – Very Rev. Prof. Kọ́nyinsọ́lá Àjàyí, SAN.
*April 2: Day 29 – PRAYER FOR BLESSED PARENTHOOD*
Heavenly Father, the Perfect Parent, the Giver of Life, the Shepherd Who tends His flock with love and wisdom – raise us as the godly parents, guardians, and mentors who will instruct children in their care in Your ways. Strengthen homes with the foundation of Christ. Let fathers and mothers not abandon their divine duty but lead with wisdom, nurture with love, discipline with righteousness, and train their children in the way they should go so that when they are old, they will not depart from it.
Teach and enable parents, Lord God, to bring up children under their care to be like trees planted by the rivers of water, bearing good fruit in their time, never withering, never failing. O Mighty Deliverer, build a hedge of divine protection around parents so they may do that which is right by their children; assign Holy Angels to guard them in all their ways, to lift them so they do not stumble in their duties; let their ears be deaf to the whispers of the wicked; let their hearts be sealed for You alone – so Lord, grant parents the heart of a father, the tenderness of a mother, and the wisdom that comes only from Your Spirit. Teach them to love as You love — patiently, sacrificially, unconditionally.
Let parental words build up, not tear down; let parental discipline correct, not crush; let parental example lead, not mislead. Lord, help all parents reflect Your nature in their homes so that their children may see You in them and learn to walk in Your ways. O Father of Forgiveness, teach hurting children not to forget wisdom, mercy, understanding and grace when they reflect on their parents’ ways of administering discipline on them, that they may not live a life devoid of ability to receive God’s graces or drift into extreme unbelief in God.
Lord God, You are the Source from whom all fatherhood and motherhood derive meaning. You have entrusted parents with the sacred calling of raising children, and I turn to You, knowing that without Your guidance, parents labour in vain – so while parenting and the storms of life rise, or the tempests of adversity rage, be their Refuge and their Stronghold. Father, when the world tries to shape parents in its image, let Your truth anchor them; when trials come, let their faith not fail; when evil abounds, let Your Spirit within them rise with boldness and power.
Lord, let our homes be sanctuaries of peace, where Your presence dwells; shield the minds of all parents from lies and protect their hearts from hardness towards their children – instead filling them with wisdom beyond their years and love that burns brightly. Bring back – with your power of love and mercy – all Your children who have fallen away from the faith in God, remodelling their being to accept Your Salvation and eternity through Christ Jesus!
Lastly, Lord God, for all those who struggle in their faith and those who feel unworthy or overwhelmed, be their strength and remind them that You are the ultimate Father and that Your grace is sufficient in all things. Grant these my prayers in the matchless Name of Jesus Christ, our Rock.
*Amen.*
*The Patriarch’s Note.*
*Key Bible Verses* for *_“Prayer for Blessed Parenthood”_*
1. *Proverbs 22:6*
*_“Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old, he will not depart from it.”_*
2. *Ephesians 6:4*
*_“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”_*
3. *Psalm 127:3*
*_“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.”_*
4. *Isaiah 54:13*
*_“All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children.”_*
5. *1 Corinthians 13:4-7*
*_“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”_*
6. *Ephesians 1:7*
*_“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”_*
7. *Micah 7:18-19*
*_“Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion for us and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.”_*
8. *Hebrews 8:12*
*_“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”_*
9. *Psalm 103:10-12*
*_“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.”_*
10. *Colossians 3:2-3*
*_“Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”_*
These verses can serve as powerful reminders of God’s unending mercy and grace and the transformative work He does in the lives of those who seek Him. They reinforce the themes of your prayer by illustrating God’s willingness to pardon and cleanse us and His promises of renewal and new life through Christ.
As you meditate on these scriptures, you might age individuals to reflect on their lives, recognising areas where they seek pardon and transformation. You can also suggest that they use these verses in their daily prayers throughout Lent, allowing the truth of God’s Word to permeate their hearts and minds.
*Conclusion*
May the journey through Lent deepen our understanding of His love and the power of redemption, in Jesus’ Name.
*The Gift of Parenthood:* Parenting is not only a delightful journey, but also a rollercoaster of challenges and joys that can leave us breathless. It’s a divine calling, steeped in both responsibility and grace. Just as a gardener nurtures a seed, so too do we cultivate the hearts and minds of our children. They are not merely our offspring; they are our teachers, stretching our patience and deepening our capacity for love.
In this dance of life, we often find ourselves questioning our abilities, yet remember, *_“Children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward”_* (Psalm 127:3, NKJV). Each sleepless night and every tantrum is a reminder of the treasure we hold. Embrace the chaos, for it is in these moments that we truly discover the profound joy and growth that parenthood bestows upon us. So let us savour this gift, imperfect as it may be!
*As God reigns, His mercies that are glorified above judgment will cause you, your spouse, children, ministry, and endeavours to possess your…