Using Biblical Characters to Pray for your Children

Through out the Bible we see examples of ordinary people that did extraordinary things. I read this quote the other day, "When you prayerfully entrust your ordinary children to the Lord, you invite Him to use them in extraordinary ways." In the book, Praying the Scriptures for Your Children, Berndt says, "Although they have their strengths and weaknesses we can prayerfully "borrow" their Godly attributes as we ask God to shape and use our kids for His kingdom." Below, I've typed up a list of some names that might ring a bell, coupled with the attributes that helped them leave a legacy and give glory to God. Now, when I pray for Faith and Jaxon, I can put a Biblical name with an attribute(s), and be intentional about turning their lives into prayers for my children.

Abraham: The Father of Nations

-Powerful and confident pray-er (Genesis 18:23-33)

-Obedient to God (Genesis 12:4, 22:3)

-Unselfish and Generous (Genesis 13:8-9)

-A tither, acknowledged God's provision (Genesis 14:20)

-Faithful, trusted God (Genesis 22:3-12; Hebrews 11:17)

Ruth: The Faithful Daughter

-Loving daughter-in-law, valued family ties (Ruth 1:16-17)

-Hard worker, industrious (Ruth 2:7, 23)

-Obedient, honored by her mother-in-law (Ruth 3:5)

-Patient (Ruth 3:18)

-Well-known for her noble character (Ruth 3:11)

David: Israel's Greatest King

-Courageous (1 Samuel 17:34-36)

-Refused to listen to fear, discouragement, or negative people (1 Samuel 17:28-37)

-Zealous for God, knew the power of God's name (1 Samuel 17:45-46)

-Contrite spirit, repentant after sin (Psalm 51)

-A man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14)

Elizabeth: The Patient Mother

-Patient, waited on God's timing for a son, gave God credit for the blessing instead of blame for delay (Luke 1:25)

-Used by God to bless and encourage Mary (Luke 1:42)

-Righteous, humble, took God's word seriously (Luke 1:6, 43)

-Full of faith (Luke 1:45)

-Hospitable (Luke 1:56)

Gideon: The Mighty Warrior

-Humble (Judges 6:15)

-Worshipful (Judges 6:24, 7:15)

-Obedient to God (Judges 6:27, 7:1-8)

-Tactful, diplomatic (Judges 8:1-3)

-Deflected glory from himself, pointed others toward God (Judges 8:22-23)

Rebekah: Isaac's Pure Bride

-Industrious, hardworking, strong (Genesis 24:19-20)

-Kind, considerate, respectful toward elders (Genesis 24:18-19)

-Demonstrated sincere and ready hospitality (Genesis 24:25)

-A beautiful virgin, sexually pure, modest (Genesis 24:16, 65)

-Had her family's respect and blessing (Genesis 24:57-60)

Timothy: An Example to Believers

-Knew the Scriptures, which equipped him for every good work (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

-Served as an example to others, even in his youth. (1 Timothy 1:5)

-Diligent, persevering, collaborated with Paul to preach the gospel (1 Timothy 4:15-16)

-An adept problem solver, pointed people to Jesus (1 Corinthians 4:17)

Esther: The Beautiful Queen

-Obedient and respectful toward her father/cousin (Esther 2:20)

-Loyal to her people, patriotic (Esther 8:3-6)

-Courageous, heroic, self-sacrificing (Esther 4:11-16, 7:6)

-Beautiful in appearance and spirit, favored by all (Esther 2:15-17)

-A compassionate intercessor (Esther 4:4-5, 8:3-6)

Joseph: The Visionary Manager

-A gifted administrator, manager, organizer, planner (Genesis 39:4-6, 22-23)

-Sexually pure, resisted temptation (Genesis 39:7-13)

-Depended on God, acknowledged his sovereignty (Genesis 41:16, 45:8)

-Loved and honored his father (Genesis 45:23)

-Forgiving, overcame hurt and rejection (Genesis 50:16-21)

Daniel: The Statesman-Prophet

-Smart and handsome, yet humble (Daniel 1:4, 9:18, 10:12, 17)

-Self-controlled, trustworthy, and pure (Daniel 1:8, 6:4)

-Wise in all things, including his choice of friends (Daniel 1:17-20, 2:17)

-Prayerfully trusted God (Daniel 2:18, 6:10)

-Feared God and no men, courageous, didn't hide his faith (Daniel 5:22-23, 6:10)

Obviously there are more characters that didn't get a lot of Biblical press coverage, but this is a good list to start with.