It always seems strange to me that we are so dependent on air to live.  Our physical bodies are remarkably strong in some ways, but absolutely totally fragile in others.  Without air, that little kid was out cold in about a minute.  It is sobering to think that, for most of us, just a few minutes without air leads to our death.

  • Physically, without air we die.
  • Spiritually, without prayer we die

I think that one of the reasons that God made us physically dependent on air is to help us to understand how totally dependent we are on Him.

Many of us are faced with the daunting task of parenting, protecting and providing for the next generation.  It’s overwhelming.  The task of parenting is powerless without prayerful dependence on the Lord.

Hymn writer James Montgomery wrote these words, “Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, The Christian’s native air.”  Where there is a true desire to see our children draw closer to the Lord, there will also be prayer.  It is the “vital” breath of the parent.  Prayer is one indication that a parent is deeply concerned about the spiritual well-being of their child.

Prayer is essential to Christian parenting.  If there is something wrong with a parent’s prayer life, it affects our whole family.  Prayer is just as vital to the spiritual health of our children as breathing is to their physical health.

Parenting without prayer is like trying to run a marathon without breathing properly.  Without a healthy prayer life, there simply is not enough strength to parent well.