You Can’t Take Prayer Out of School

A hot topic around the country is the thought that they government are taking prayer out of the schools.  Let me make a bold statement right here at the top of this post…… No one can ever take prayer out of school.

What do I mean by that?  As long as there are students in school, there can be prayer.  As long as there are parents then send their kids to school, there can be prayer.   As long as there are Christian teachers and administrators, there can be prayer.  Prayer is nothing more than praising God and lifting our thoughts, if  not our voices, up to God in praise, thanksgiving and supplication.  Nothing, not the government, not the administration, not some leftist group, no nothing can stop you from doing that.

I can’t take credit for this thought.   No, I was up until last night one of those that thought it was awful what our schools have become in many ways.  Places devoid of God, but full of worship for self.   A place where tolerance and diversity is taught and encouraged, unless it involved Christianity.  But last night, I had my eyes opened at our church service.   Our former lead pastor, Greg Nettle (now president of Stadia), came back to speak to the congregation on what Stadia has been doing and the lives they (and we) are impacting around the world.  During the talk, he mentioned three very practical things we could do to help spread the good news of Jesus.

1. Disciple our own children.
2. Disciple the children of our church.
3. Disciple the children of the world.

As part of the expansion on #1, disciplining our own children, he mentioned that prayer could never be taken out of the schools and I felt led right then to write this post.

So let me throw out some specific ways that we can be sure that prayer can never be taken out of the schools?

Pray for your children.   Pray for them when the leave to get on the bus, or when you drop them off at the school doors.  Pray that they learn what is taught, but not be influenced by the unwholesome lessons that come in and out of the classroom.  Pray while they are at school throughout the day that they are healthy, that they are happy, that they can be a positive influence on others.  That other children can look at your children and see Jesus.   Pray at sporting events, band concerts or whatever activities your children participate in for the safety and health of all the participants and fans.

Pray for the teachers and administration.  Pray that the teachers can share a positive influence on the children.  Teachers have a very powerful pulpit that they are on every day, let them realize the importance of their role and that they should take it seriously.  Prayer that the children can see Jesus in the teachers.

Pray for the bus drivers.  Many of us, every day, place the most precious gifts that God has ever given us on a big yellow vehicle and send them off without another thought.  Let’s pray for the bus drivers for their safety, health and attentiveness to their jobs.  Pray for the bus mechanics that keep the buses running and for those other drivers on the roads to take extra caution around the school bus and around the school itself.

Pray for ourselves as parents.  We as parents are the most influential teachers our children will ever have as I believe that most of the education that children receive, happens right at home.  That we are the primary teachers of our children and the schools help us with that education.  When we pray for ourselves to be the best parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles or whatever the situation may be, but pray for yourself, that you can be a positive influence on your children and they can see Jesus in you.

Teach our children to pray.  When we teach our children to pray, we are teaching them to be a blessing to others.  Teach them to pray for their teachers, for their friends, for that kid that sits behind them in science class that perhaps comes from a bad home, or is always getting in trouble.  Teach them to pray for their friends who are in a bad relationship or are experimenting with drugs.  Teach them to pray for others, so that others can see Jesus in them.

Prayer is a powerful tool that we have, whether it’s spoken out loud or just lifted up silently, we have the power of the Holy Spirit at our disposal and the ear of God himself.  With that, no one can ever take prayer out of the schools.