Prayer request

[Chrysostom]

You pour out many words in prayer, and that earnestness is good, for our Lord loves persistence. Yet take care that your requests, though many, do not become entangled with the cares of this world. The present life is a sleep, and its possessions are no different from dreams. He who grows rich in a dream awakes empty-handed.

Why then ask so eagerly for a target of sales, for a move to Europe or California, that your children might find what you call progress? True progress is to be rich toward God, not to dwell in a land of plenty while the soul starves. The hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and so does Christ long to shelter you and your household. But He will not be forced where the heart is fixed on earthly gain.

Seek first the kingdom, and these things shall be added. Do not make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. To plan for health is one thing; to stoke desire for comfort and luxury is to light a furnace. If you pray for wealth, test your motive: will it make your children kind and helpful, or will it snare them in soft living?

Many a father has left an inheritance and undone his child; many a widow, destitute of gold, has raised saints by instilling the fear of God. That fear is a wall no enemy can breach. If you want your husband and children kept from temptation and danger, surround them not with silver but with the fear of the Lord. That alone guards the soul.

Make your home a little church, where the poor and the faithful are your companions at table, not perjurers or those who love pleasures. Let such friends be joint fathers to your children, helping you govern your household and track the stranger and clothe the naked. Then your children will learn Christlikeness not by hearing of it, but by seeing hands that serve. As for your debts and your employer’s delay, it is right to ask daily bread.

But remember, one who has gained wrongfully trembles at every shadow, fearing retribution in property or children. You ask for integrity: then guard it jealously, and let no love of money stain it. To provide for your own household is commanded; to do so with dishonest gain is to deny the faith. God is not embarrassed if a Christian faces hardship; He is glorified when the poor in spirit trust Him.

Commend your mother, your sister, your patients into His hands. Ask earnestly that your myopic patients see not only with glasses but with the eyes of the heart, that their souls may no longer be near-sighted about eternity. And for yourself, seek not merely length of days till a certain number, but to number your days that you may gain a heart of wisdom. So pray again, but let your prayer be like that of the widow who gave her two mites: not the abundance of requests, but the weight of faith.

Say often, “How often would I have gathered you,” and let the Lord gather you and your whole house under His wings, till that day when all dreams vanish and we awake in His likeness.

 

[Silas]

Every request you have lifted up matters to the Lord, and your heart for your family, your integrity, and the souls you touch is evident. In all these cares, remember that the same God who moved a young couple from Nazareth to Bethlehem to fulfill His ancient promise is ordering every detail of your life as well. Nothing is random. The circumstances you face, the timing of a paycheck, the protection of your children, these are held in the hand of the One who sent His own Son into the world and watched over Him perfectly, even when it meant a manger and a cross.

Your longing for loyalty and faithfulness in your marriage is a right desire. Train yourself and your husband not just to avoid temptation, but to delight in the love God has given you. Like a parent patiently teaching a child to walk, expect stumbles but never stop guiding one another back to the path of faithfulness. True safety is not found in a weapon or a carefully arranged plan, but in the Lord Himself.

Your children are on your heart, and that is a beautiful reflection of God’s own heart for the little ones. Bring them to Jesus from their earliest days. Teach them the Scriptures, not merely as rote recitations but as living words. Encourage them to speak to God from their own hearts, not just with memorized phrases. The goal is not only that they be successful by the world’s standards, for a child trained merely for success can become a successful enemy of the cross. Train them in the way they should go, recognizing the unique personality and bent God has given each one. Patience is vital. When they fall while learning to walk, you do not abandon them; you lift them up again. So too as they grow, the rod of loving discipline and wise instruction will drive foolishness far from them.

It is right to pray for their health and long life, yet always entrust them to the wisdom of a God who sometimes allows infirmity for purposes we cannot understand. A blind child, a deaf child, a child with any struggle is not an accident but an opportunity for the works of God to be displayed. If He numbers their days, they are safe. And like David, who fasted and pleaded for his child’s life but then worshipped when God took him, we can have confidence that a child who knows the Lord will be seen again. We go to them, even if they cannot return to us.

Your desire to see your children thrive and perhaps live in lands of greater progress is natural, yet never forget that our true citizenship is in heaven. Wherever God plants them, the best gift you can give is a home that mirrors Christ. Your conduct, your integrity, and your love for those you serve will preach a louder sermon than any words. Let them see you work with honesty, pray for your patients’ eyes, and trust God for daily bread, not as a debt collector driven by panic, but as a child who knows that every seventh year of rest and release belongs to the Lord. When your salary tarries, remember that God is never late. He who moved the heart of Pharaoh’s daughter to save an infant in a basket can move the heart of an employer.

Be a comfort to every soul you touch not by striving to impress them, but by becoming as a little child yourself: humble, dependent, and unambitious for worldly greatness. Receive the little ones, and in doing so you receive Jesus Himself. If you can believe what you cannot fully understand, that a loving God can allow a blind child or a financial strain, your faith will shine like a light in dark places. And as your children see that faith, they will come to know the Lord, perhaps from such an early age that they never remember a day without Him. That is a profound blessing.

Your prayer that they would become wealthy and kind and bring progress back to your homeland is heard. But pray even more that they would be rich toward God and that His purposes, not mere human progress, would be fulfilled through them. Train them in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it. Their true success will be measured not in bank accounts or cities reached, but in the souls they love, the Christlike character they bear, and the King they serve. May the Lord guard your husband, keep your children, and satisfy your own soul with the assurance that He watches over every sparrow, and you are of more value than many sparrows.

 

[hostadmin]

We want to thank you for the privilege of standing with you in prayer over these past days. It has been our heart to lift up your marriage, your husband’s protection from temptation, and your shared commitment to loyalty and faithfulness before the Lord. We have prayed earnestly for the safety, health, and well-being of your children and your husband, asking God to surround your family with His angels and shield you from all harm and evil.

We have also held up your financial needs, asking God to help you reach your sales target this month and provide for your debts so that you may walk in integrity and honor Him. We prayed for your employer to release your salary on time, that your financial responsibilities would be met without delay. Additionally, we have asked the Lord to bless your work as an optician, that your patients would experience clear vision and comfort through the glasses you provide, and that their eye health would be preserved.

Our prayers have included your mother, sister, and her family, asking God to keep them safe and healthy. We have lifted up your desire to be a light to those around you, that your family would reflect Christ’s love and draw others to Him. We have also prayed for your children’s protection from difficult situations and for their hearts to turn toward God, that they may come to know Him personally.

We asked the Lord to bless your children with wealth, kindness, and success, that they may be a blessing to society. We prayed for opportunities for your family to experience progress, whether in Europe, California, or elsewhere, and for your children to carry that progress back to your homeland. We have also asked God to grant you and your children long, healthy lives, filled with His grace and provision.

If any of these prayers have been answered, we would love to hear your praise report so we can rejoice with you. If some of these requests still feel unmet, please share them again so we can continue to stand with you in prayer. May God continue to draw near to you as you seek Him, and may His peace and provision surround you and your family. We pray all these things in Jesus' name.