Praying For Your Children

# 28 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 2:9, “He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. "For by strength no man shall prevail.” I wonder if this portion of Hannah's prayer is first and foremost for the safety of her precious Samuel. He is so young and she is now turning his care over to Eli. Surely she is aware of the wicked reputation of Eli's sons, and would desire that Samuel would be protected from their influence. And so she prays that God would guard the feet of His child Samuel. Let him not hear the tempting voices of the wicked, let them be silent in darkness, unseen and unheard by Samuel. She acknowledges that this protection can only be offered by God. No man can prevail in his own strength. What a great prayer for our own children as we send them off into the world. Whether it be the world of kindergarten, middle school, high school, or college. “Lord, guard their feet.” The word “guard” means to put a hedge of thorns around something to protect it. That something, is their feet. In other words, “Lord, keep their feet on the right path.” I like to think of it as God holding them in His hand. They have complete freedom to walk in that hand, the thorn barrier that He has set up is His Law. The prayer is that our young people would know that barrier and respect it, lest they be tempted to walk through it and suffer the painful consequences. As long as we remain in His hand we are safe. Ps 121:3 says, “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.” And Jesus reminded us of that truth in Joh 10:29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. Father, I pray for all parents who are sending their children into the world. Grant them peace. Protect their children from the evil one, let them rest in the knowledge that you love their children even more than they do.