praying about children

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PAGE 1 OF 5 LORD JESUS, you proclaimed your concern for the small and the weak, and were especially clear in your concern for children. Their very nature is fragile, and because they are vulnerable they are eaprey for people who exploit them. And so we pray to you, O Lord: For the children who are forced to work from their earliest years in cruel conditions. For the children press-ganged into armies and trained in violence and cruelty. For the children abandoned and left to live in the streets hunting for food and shelter. For the children sexually exploited by perverted and ruthless people. For the children accused of possession by demons, or sorcery, who are blamed for every wrong and subjected to cruel punishment. For the children with mental or physical disabilities who are abandoned, depicted as sexual objects, or tormented because of their weakness. For the children who are undernourished or have no medicine, and so cannot grow up normally. For the children who commit crimes and are kept in prisons in degrading conditions, with no chance to learn better. Children Praying about

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Prayers focusing on the needs of children throughout the world.

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Page 1: Praying About Children

PA G E 1 O F 5

LORD JESUS, you proclaimed your concern for the small and the weak, and were especially clear in your concern for children.

Their very nature is fragile, and because they are vulnerable they are eaprey for people who exploit them.

And so we pray to you, O Lord:

For the children who are forced to work from their earliest years in cruel conditions.

For the children press-ganged into armies and trained in violence and cruelty.

For the children abandoned and left to live in the streets hunting for food and shelter.

For the children sexually exploited by perverted and ruthless people.

For the children accused of possession by demons, or sorcery, who are blamed for every wrong and subjected to cruel punishment.

For the children with mental or physical disabilities who are abandoned, depicted as sexual objects, or tormented because of their weakness.

For the children who are undernourished or have no medicine, and so cannot grow up normally.

For the children who commit crimes and are kept in prisons in degrading conditions, with no chance to learn better.

Children

Praying about

Page 2: Praying About Children

PA G E 2 O F 5

Lord, you once said: “Let the children come to me. Do not stop them, for the kingdom of God is for those who are like them.”

Hear our prayer and give all children throughout the world the joy of life and hope for a better future. Amen.

— The International Federation of ACAT

DEAR GOD,

All through the Bible: through the words of the prophets, through your laws and commandments, through Jesus’ life and teachings, we see how you care about the poor, and the value you place on the downtrodden and vulnerable. We pray for the millions of children trapped in child labor around the world.

We know that you know each one of them by name. We know you love them. Help us to see them with your eyes, and love them with your heart — a heart that must be broken by the ugly reality of how your children are treated.

Strengthen and inspire us to move forward in our journey of justice for these little ones. Help us to see the role we can play in encouraging alternatives for families and communities. Thank you for how much you care. Help us care. Help us act.

Amen

— World Vision Canada

WE PRAY FOR CHILDRENwho sneak popsicles before supper,who erase holes in math workbooks,who can never find their shoes.And we pray for thosewho stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,who can’t bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,who never “counted potatoes,”who are born in places we wouldn’t be caught dead,who never go to the circus,who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for childrenwho bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money.And we pray for thosewho never get dessert,who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,who watch their parents watch them die,who can’t find any bread to steal,

“We know that you know each one of them by name. We know you love them.”

Page 3: Praying About Children

PA G E 3 O F 5

who don’t have any rooms to clean up,whose pictures aren’t on anybody’s dresser,whose monsters are real.We pray for childrenwho spend all their allowance before Tuesday,who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pickat their food,who like ghost stories,who shove dirty clothes under the bed, and never rinse out the tub,who get visits from the tooth fairy,who don’t like to be kissed in front of the carpool,who squirm in worship and scream in the phone,whose tears we sometimes laugh at and whose smiles can make us cry.And we pray for thosewhose nightmares come in the daytime,who will eat anything,who have never seen a dentist,who aren’t spoiled by anybody,who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,who live and move, but have no being.

We pray for children who want to be carriedand for those who must,for those we never give up on and for those whodon’t get a second chance,for those we smother and for those who will grabthe hand of anybody kind enough to offer it.

— Ina J. Hughes

LITANY FOR THE CHILDREN

Defender of the oppressed and the orphan, we pray for all children in our nation and our world who suffer from poverty, injustice, and fear.Hear the cries of your children, O God.

For children who are runaways, homeless, in institutions or jails,In your tender mercy, encourage and strengthen them, O God.

For children who are disabled in mind or body,In your tender mercy, provide them food, O God.

For babies born at risk, for children who are sick, and for those who lack proper health care, especially pregnant teenagers,In your tender mercy, help and sustain them, O God.

“For children who are disabled in mind or body,In your tender mercy, provide them food, O God.”

Page 4: Praying About Children

PA G E 4 O F 5

For children who are victims of race or class discrimination, poor education, drug or alcohol abuse, and hopelessness,In your tender mercy, grant them lives of hope and a future, O God.

For children who daily experience the fear and pain of war and civil strife,In your tender mercy, defend and protect them, O God.

— Imaging the Word

O LORD, Father of all children,Watch over your little onesWho are poor and abandoned…They cry, for they hunger for food,For the cold chills their bones,For their bodies suffer with disease,For they never know the tenderness of love.Lord, grant that these little ones come to you!Warm their tender hearts,Gather them under your wings,That they may feel the care of your heartAnd ever enjoy your kindness as their Father.

— Xaverian Missionary Society, Burundi

“Lord, grant that these little ones come to you! Warm their tender hearts, Gather them under your wings...”

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PA G E 5 O F 5

About World VisionWORLD VISION is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. We see a world where each child experiences “fullness of life” as described in John 10:10. And we know this can be achieved only by addressing the problems of poverty and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how World Vision is unique: We bring 60 years of experience in three key areas needed to help children and families thrive: emergency relief, long-term development, and advocacy. And we bring all of our skills across many areas of expertise to each community we work in, enabling us to care for children’s physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

Partnering with World Vision provides tangible ways to honor God and put faith into action. By working, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of children and families who are struggling to overcome poverty. To find out more about how you can help, visit www.worldvision.org.

About World Vision ResourcesENDING GLOBAL POVERTY and injustice begins with education: understanding the magnitude and causes of poverty, its impact on human dignity, and our connection to those in need around the world.

World Vision Resources is the publishing ministry of World Vision. World Vision Resources educates Christians about global poverty, inspires them to respond, and equips them with innovative resources to make a difference in the world.

For more information about our resources, contact:

World Vision ResourcesMail Stop 321P.O. Box 9716

Federal Way, WA 98063-9716Fax: 253-815-3340

[email protected]