National Day of Prayer: me to the Lord on education...

Dear Lord, 

We gather here today, asking for the sleeping and the slumbering to be awakened—and in particular, I want to ask you for a wake-up call on education.

We lift up our children to you—

-that they would gain a passion to understand the wonderful world you have created;

-that you would protect their hearts and minds;

-that they would learn how to navigate the world around them.

We pray for fathers and mothers—

-who are eager and able to encourage their kids and hold them accountable;

-strong and glorious marriages;

-for wisdom, courage, and perseverance as parents.

We pray for our teachers—

-that they would strive to empower kids to think rather than merely teaching facts or teaching to tests;

-that they would persist in hopefulness and that you would encourage them by showing them more of the fruits of their labor.

We pray for staff and administrators—

-that they would ably organize teachers and staff so that schools would be effective environments for learning; 

-for wisdom and courage as they make complex and difficult decisions.

We also pray for higher education—

-that colleges would be a place of open-minded thought and free expression of speech, in an exploration of the beautiful world you have created; 

-for listening ears that have empathy and for people who will practice true tolerance.

-for places where teenagers will become truth-seeking adults.

Finally, I pray for all of us to know that learning is not restricted to schools—that we would strive to have…

-better theology (to know you better—your character, your promises, and what you done throughout history);

-a better understanding of science and the physical world you’ve made;

-a better understanding of economics and the way we interact through markets;

-a better understanding of public policy and its subtle costs;

-a better understanding of psychology and Scripture as we seek to better understand those around us; and so on.

This year, may all of us spend more time reading than we do watching TV. Awaken in us a thirst for knowledge and wisdom.

I pray that we would seek the Truth in all things. And I pray that we would be students of the Word—both the Word of the Bible and the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. This is all lifted up in His powerful and precious name...Amen!