Lent 2014
March 7, 2014

 Read: Romans 1:8-17 

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. –Romans 1:8-12 

Paul began many of his letters with a statement that he was praying for the church to which he was writing. Prayer is not only our linkage with God but, along with the Lord’s Supper, it is the fiber that holds the whole Body of Christ as one. Communing with God toward a common vision of service helps us identify our common goals and discover talents and skills among the community of faith that may not have been appropriately tapped yet. It also develops new resources or dusts off old ones that may not have been fully actualized. Praying together, whether physically in the presence of each other or during the same time span or both, adds synergy to our communion. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’—Matthew 18:20 

Thus during Lent this year we are called to pray for our children and specifically for their wellbeing as students. Wellbeing takes in all aspects of life. It is sometimes also referred to as “wholeness”. So while we pray for all children to prosper in learning, we must also pray that:

• Parents have what they need to foster a home life that is supportive of the child’s learning experience.
• Teachers are well trained and prepared and have the appropriate resources to meet whatever educational challenge may come their way.
• School facilities are safe, welcoming, and designed to help children learn.
• Other support services such as counselling and various remedial therapies are readily available, affordable, and accessible.

Finally we as concerned partners in education must be prepared to do whatever is in our power to make these four items a reality. This is a tall order and we can only succeed if we first seek God’s guidance and grace to make it happen. 

Prayer: Hear our prayers, O Lord, and when necessary show us what we need to pray to help us be conduits of your love to the school children in our neighborhood. Amen.

The identities of students, families, or staff in stories that are shared in the devotions have been altered to protect their privacy. Any similarities between these stories and the experience of others are coincidental. No stories about students, families of students, or staff from Putnam Heights Elementary School are included in any of these devotions.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.