A Prayer for Parents of Teens

I have already shared a few of Kathleen Nielson’s prayers for children–young children and adult children. I wanted to share just one more, this one from her collection of prayers for parents of teenagers. After all, is there any time we pray for our children with more fervency than during their teenage years? This is a prayer for matters of first importance. May it give you words to pray for the child you love…

O Lord, so many things I’d ask for her—
so many things I do pursue for her—
as now the quieter pace of childhood play lurches ahead with seeming little warning, pulling her and pulling me to keep abreast with this and that assignment, this new friend, or this most urgent thing…

Please let us pause, O Lord.
Help us—both my dear child and me—
help us give careful thought to all our ways and most of all to you who gave your Son
to die for sinners, just as your Word says.
He died and conquered death for us;
he rose. What more important thing could be?

I would not seek an end to many things,
O Lord who made and sees it all;
I would not ask to empty but to shape our days in light of you and in submission to your Word. May Jesus fill my child’s vision,
Lord of all, the Reconciler to himself
of all things everywhere
through his own blood upon that cross.
What more important thing could ever be?

So, for my growing child I pray
that you would make your Son
of first importance, now and always.