Article September 6, 1999 Issue

Time to get ready for school

Have you prayed for the schools in your neighborhood today?

By Judith Haugan Ryan

Recently, I was invited to join a group of mothers from my local public school to pray for the harmony of our children, their classmates, and their school. At my first meeting in a private home with these other mothers, I was immediately struck by how much we have in common, though we represent a variety of religious beliefs. We each have a deep love for God, an active commitment to daily prayer and Bible study, and an appreciation of the effectiveness and importance of prayer.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that God's power is unlimited and that through prayer we can go beyond our immediate families and also help our community and the world. Whether you are a member of an organized prayer group, still have children in school, or have no children at all, you can actively commit to praying for students and schools. Think about the potential for good. Public and private schools and universities provide businesses with their upcoming labor supply, governments with their future leaders, and society with its citizens of tomorrow. We all have a stake in the success of schools and a role to play in supporting students and educators.

Prayer helps us realize that God not only commissions you and me to assist young people, but also equips us with the qualities we need to do the work. The textbook of Christian Science, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, affirms this point: "Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds" (p. 1).

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