Isn’t this what we want for our children? Of course, we can tell our children over and over that God’s Word is sweet as honey, or that the Lord answers prayer, but how much better for them to taste it themselves. We have a real privilege as parents to encourage our child’s prayer life, and have them learn firsthand that there really is communication from their bedside to the throne of God.
When my dad was a young boy, his father came home from a trip and said, “Son, it would be nice if you prayed for a boy in a home where I stayed. He is about your age, and he isn’t saved. His name is — ” (We’ll call him Marcus Truesdale, for his real name was not a common one.) So my dad added the name to his nightly prayer routine, and it stuck there, night after night, year after year. Years passed and my father grew up, married and had a family, and one day found himself across the table at a Bible conference from another young family. He put out his hand and found himself meeting ... Marcus Truesdale! “I have prayed for you every night for over 30 years!” he exclaimed. Oh how they rejoiced, and what a bond they now have in Christ. As a little girl I loved to hear my dad tell that story. It was a big encouragement in my prayer life.