A Prayer about Trusting the Lord to Protect Children

She put the child in it and placed it among the reeds by the river bank. Exodus 2:3b

Compassionate Father, 

As loving parents and grandparents, 

we desperately want to protect our children. 

And yet, you alone 

are powerful enough, 

wise enough, 

and merciful enough 

to properly protect them. 

As we read about Moses’ mother 

trying to protect him from the Egyptian Pharaoh 

who ordered the murder of all male Israelites babies, 

we see your saving hand at work. 

You gave Jochebed wisdom and wit 

to develop a plan for protecting Moses — 

she placed him in a basket made of reeds and pitch 

and set him into the reeds by the river bank (Exodus 2:3). 

We wonder if she felt afraid or if she fully trusted 

that you would save her infant son from drowning. 

How many times have we felt this back and forth 

between trust in you and fear for our children—

when they are sick or have an ongoing health issue, 

when we have to leave them in a new place we’re not comfortable with, 

when they make friends at school 

who might not be the best influence.  

Give us the wit and wisdom you gave Jochebed. 

Show us how to best protect 

our children and grandchildren 

from danger of all kinds. 

Most of all, give us the faith to believe 

that you love our children even more than we do, 

and that you are always seeking their good and your glory.

In Jesus’ child-loving name. Amen.

Read Exodus 2:1-10.