Joshua, Jericho and Using Stories to Pray
I often feel a burden to pray for the children around me. I think all of us who spend time alongside children and young people in schools, churches, and out in the community experience this. For children with additional needs especially there seems to be an endless supply of issues to worry about on their behalf, their development, their health, their family, their happiness, their access to education indeed their access to anywhere. I’ve often felt an overwhelming sense of concern for the families and children whom I encounter. Occasionally it has presented itself as a sense of real despair or fear. When I remember these words from Philippians I know I can and I should bring all these worries to God,
Do not be anxious about
anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
How do we know though how to pray for children who can’t
share their prayer requests with us? How do we pray for children in the moment
while our hands are full trying to meet their practical needs? And how too do
we move from just praying for a list of practical needs (of which there might be
lots) to praying for the spiritual growth of children with additional needs?
Something I’ve found useful is using the sensory stories we
share at Church as a template for prayer. Reading through the stories picking
out truths about God’s character and about the gospel and praying these
truths has helped to ensure that my prayers are Bible-centric rather than
just based on the practical or immediate needs of children and young people
(although I do pray for these too). It also means I have a ‘go-to’ prayer to
pray for all the children I encounter or have on my heart during the week. I
try to remember the truths from whichever story we’re due to be running on the
coming Sunday and pray using these throughout the week whether I’m making my
morning coffee, on the bus, or in a busy classroom. This means I can also be
ready to pray for children I meet at work who I’m not in a position to share
the gospel with, the children of friends, even the noisy child in Sainsbury’s!
I’ve included a template below for a sensory story about
Joshua and the battle of Jericho. This was the last story we shared in March
2020 before we had any idea how suddenly our lives were about to change. It
makes me sad because of all we’ve missed but it makes me happier because its
promises are good and relevant and true. God promises that He will help His
people and that one day we will be with Him forever. Reading this story prompts
me to pray these two points for the children in my days and on my heart
- That God being faithful and wise will help these children and families with whatever difficulties they face
- That Jesus will lead these children and their families to live forever with God in a perfect new world
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