Kids Have No Problem Asking
My youngest daughter, Elizabeth, loves playing games as a family. She is faced with two big obstacles: her older sister and her mom. Neither of them share her enjoyment in the games. Still, just about every night, Elizabeth asks for a game.
Another thing she likes to ask of us is to eat sweets. She likes just about all – ice cream, cookies, donuts, whatever. We do allow for a little bite of sweet after dinner, Elizabeth often asks for more and more often.
Even with all these obstacles, Elizabeth is comfortable with asking and doesn’t seem to doubt our love for her when we say no. She knows that while we may deny her requests often, there are other times we give her special treats. Sometimes we offer her a game or a special dessert even when she doesn’t ask.
Can We Ask God for That?
I mention this because I think we often fail to see God in the same light. We assume He will say no, so we don’t ask. Or, if we don’t get what we pray for, we assume we aren’t good enough for Him to give us these special requests.
Jesus tells us if our Heavenly Father takes care of the birds of the air, why would He not also take care of us (Matthew 6:25-26)? And, if our earthly parents know how to take care of their children, will He not at least do the same (Matthew 7:9-11)? Jesus confirms to us that God will all the more give us good gifts. In fact, every good gift comes from our Father in heaven (James 1:17).
Will God Still Like Me If I Ask For That?
I write this to encourage you and me to pray. Let us expect good things from God and trust in His love for us.
How can a child ask for things from their parents? They know their parents…
- have the resources to provide what they want.
- can make a way for what they want.
- and, whether the answer is yes/no, it will not change their relationship.
In other words, there is no downside for asking. On the contrary, the mere coming to their parent enhances the relationship that refusing to ask would have missed out on.
Praying for Everything
Reveals Our Trust in a Good God
How much more does our Heavenly Father care for us? Our prayers, even for seemingly unworthy requests, are doors to greater communion to our God. He is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). But, we will never experience this if we don’t ask. God wants us to express our wants and desires to Him because verbalizing these is a pathway to our hearts.
When we read the Psalms, we see the psalmist express telling God what he wants. These prayers give us permission to express our own desires but also reminds us to recommit our priorities to God. As the Psalms often end with… “but even so, I will trust in Your unfailing love” (my paraphrase).
This is exactly what Elizabeth shows me. It is wonderful that she asks things of us, but ultimately she trusts in our love for her. Therefore, present your requests to our Heavenly Father and expect good things from Him.
Prayer Resources for Kids
Since this article relates to what my daughter taught me about prayer, I want to offer two books that help teach prayer to kids:
- The Power of a Praying Kid by Stormie Omartian
- What Every Child Should Know About Prayer by Nancy Guthrie
I hope you find these helpful. Lets raise the next generation of powerful pray ’ers.