Bedtime Prayer For Families

Praying with Children Blessings and Family Prayers

Bedtime Prayer For Families

In ways large and small, parents seek what is best for their children. This desire is expressed in a variety of practical ways every day; such as preparing healthy foods, ensuring adequate opportunity for sleep, teaching good manners, and sharing enriching activities as a family.

Incorporating prayers of blessing into your family’s daily routine is another way to express this desire for the very best for your children. When we pray for God’s blessing, we acknowledge that God is the source of all that is good.

In prayer, we ask God to bless us, to bless others, and to bless our activities. We do so with confidence and trust in God, who also seeks what is best for each of us. To pray in blessing for our children is to join our desires for them with God’s own desire for them.

Daily life provides parents with many opportunities to offer prayers of blessing with and for their children.

Bedtime Blessings

As part of bedtime prayers, invite your child to name the people he or she would to pray for. This can take the form of a simple litany, praying, “God bless . . .” as your child names family and friends. As your child grows older, you might offer a simple prayer intention for each person as you pray.

For example, if a sibling is sick, you might ask for God’s healing presence, praying, “God bless [name] and help her [him] feel better soon.” Later, you might suggest that your child offer the prayer intention.

Conclude by praying your own prayer of blessing for your child as you trace the Sign of the Cross on your child’s forehead.

Morning Blessings

Even in the most organized households, mornings can become a frenzy of activity as family members prepare to leave for work, day care, school, and daily errands.

Establishing a morning routine that includes a prayer of blessing for family members as they leave the home can help to strengthen and encourage each person to live faithfully as a follower of Jesus.

Ask each family member to name particular challenges or activities he or she may face during the day, and pray together, asking God to bless each person and his or her activities. Parents can trace the Sign of the Cross on each child’s forehead in blessing before leaving the house each day.

Mealtime Blessings

The importance of gathering for family meals cannot be overstated. Not only are meals important for providing daily nourishment, but they are also occasions for strengthening our spirits by connecting with the people who are most central to our lives.

Meals are natural occasions for prayers of blessing. We pray in thanks to God for his goodness to us. We ask God to bless our food and make our lives a blessing to others.

Pray together Grace Before Meals and Grace After Meals.

Mealtime can also be an opportunity to ask family members to name the good things that God has shared with them throughout the day and to pray together in thanksgiving.

Blessings at Family Celebrations

Each family has its own cycle of special occasions and celebrations. Over the years, you will plan many family birthday parties, anniversaries, and celebrations of the sacraments. These occasions are also opportunities for prayers of blessing.

Be intentional about taking these opportunities for prayer and look for other occasions to celebrate and pray together as a family.

Among the occasions to consider as opportunities for family prayer and celebration include the feasts of the Church year, the anniversary of your child’s Baptism, New Year’s Day, and the start of a new school year.

Blessings in Times of Transition and Difficulty

God walks with us through the challenges and difficulties of life. Prayers of blessing call forth God’s protection and remind us of God’s faithfulness.

We can ask for God’s blessing when we make decisions, large and small, and pray for family members and friends who are discerning life choices, about new jobs, college choices, vocation to marriage, or religious life. We can pray for God’s blessings when we move to a new home.

We can ask God to bless those who are sick and offer prayers of blessing together when family members are sick. And we pray for God to bless those who are near death and those who have died.

Incorporating Items Blessed for Prayer

The Church has a rich sacramental tradition. Holy water and blessed candles can be brought into the home and used for family prayer. Crosses, crucifixes, rosaries, statues, and icons can be blessed by a priest, making them holy reminders of God’s power and presence in our lives. Display these sacred objects in your home and make them focal points for your family prayer. 

Prayers of blessing for these occasions and many others can be found in Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers: Revised Edition (Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2008).

Источник: //www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/family/praying-as-a-family/praying-with-children-blessings-and-family-prayers

12 Good Bedtime Prayers for Adults

Bedtime Prayer For Families

A bedtime prayer is a perfect way to give thanks for the blessing of the day and pray for the hope for tomorrow. Here is a listing to some of the best and original Christian bedtime prayers for adults.

Prayer #1

“Heavenly Father, how we thank You for bringing us safely to the end of the day and we praise and thank You for Your loving-kindness and great goodness to us today.

Thank You for the many blessings and provisions that You bestowed on us today – for keeping us safe and guiding us and brining us once again to that time of the day when we can recharge our spirits and souls with a refreshing nights sleep.

Forgive me I pray if I have said or done anything that was not honouring to Your name or have sought to do things in my own strength rather than relying totally on You – for I praise You that Your grace is sufficient for Your strength is perfected in our weakness.

And now Lord as we lie down we pray that You would watch over us to protect and keep us safe. Give us a deep and refreshing sleep and may we cast any burdens or difficulties on You and not allow our minds to fret or worry… for You have promised to carry all our burdens if we will just give them to You.

Protect those we love and bring us we pray into Your kingdom in Your time and in Your way for we thank You that our times are safe in Your hands.. this we pray in Jesus name, Amen.”

Prayer #2

“Father, Thank you for today, for all the ways in which I have known you…

For the sunrise and the birdsong, For the music I’ve heard, and the things I’ve enjoyed, For the meals, and for the cosy home I live in, For my close family and for my special friends,

Most of all, thank you for being beside me through each moment.

May I dream good dreams and arise again tomorrow to thank you once more.

Amen.”

Prayer #3

“Dear Father in Heaven, Here, safe in my home, I drink in your peace. Help me to sift through the many experiences, feelings and thoughts I have encountered today. I allow myself to rest, to wind down and to sleep. Help me to surrender all I am to you, my fatigue, my concerns, my hopes and fears.

As I drift into sleeping I choose to hold your hand. I choose to live with you. I choose to believe, I choose to trust, I choose you always. Amen.”

Prayer #4

“O Lord our God, King of the Universe. Let the wings of sleep fall upon my eyes, and upon my eyelids. O Blessed One, Let me lie down in peace, and rise in peace.

Into Your hand I entrust my spirit.”

Prayer #5

“Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray to God my soul to take. If I should live for other days,

I pray the Lord to guide my ways.

Father, unto thee I pray, Thou hast guarded me all day; Safe I am while in thy sight, Safely let me sleep tonight. Bless my friends, the whole world bless; Help me to learn helpfulness; Keep me every in thy sight;

So to all I say good night.”

Prayer #6

“The day is done; O God the Son, Look down upon

Thy little one!

O Light of Light, Keep me this night, And shed round me

Thy presence bright.

I need not fear If Thou art near; Thou art my Savior

Kind and dear.”

Prayer #7

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head. The stars in the sky looked down where He lay, The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes, But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes; I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, and love me, I pray; Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,

And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.”

Prayer #8

“Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear me: Bless Thy little child to-night; Through the darkness be Thou near me, Keep me safe till morning light. All this day Thy hand has led me, And I thank Thee for Thy care; Thou hast warmed me, clothed me, fed me; Listen to my evening prayer. May my sins be all forgiven; Bless the friends I love so well; Take me, Lord, at last to heaven.

Happy there with Thee to dwell.”

Prayer #9

“Lord,

You bless us as we rest, Restore us as we sleep, You care for us as we drift off,

And make our dreaming sweet,

You are the safest place, You are the God of Grace, Forgiven, loved and held by you,

Is each small seed of faith,

You know our thoughts and feelings, You see our deep desires, You understand our weariness,

And catch each tear we cry,

You walk beside us every day, You are a constant friend, You stay with us all through the night,

On you we can depend.”

Prayer #10

“Dear God,

The day was long and trying. I am grateful for its end. As I lay here waiting for sleep to overtake me, I count the blessings in the day that has passed. Work was hard, I’m blessed to have a job.

My kids were frustrating, I’m blessed to have them. My body aches, I’m blessed to have medication. The list goes on, but #1 is, even when I struggle, I am blessed to have faith.

Thank You Lord for giving me a daily opportunity to rest and refresh.

Amen”

Prayer #11

“Dear God,

The day was long and trying. I am grateful for its end. As I lay here waiting for sleep to overtake me, I count the blessings in the day that has passed. Work was hard, I’m blessed to have a job.

My kids were frustrating, I’m blessed to have them. My body aches, I’m blessed to have medication. The list goes on, but #1 is, even when I struggle, I am blessed to have faith.

Thank You Lord for giving me a daily opportunity to rest and refresh.

Amen”

Prayer #12

“Dear God,

Dispel my fear. End my anxiety, wipe worry from my mind. May I know the power of Your love and the wisdom of Your word. Grant me a peaceful sleep tonight and bring me back tomorrow to a place of safety, security, and right-minded thinking.

Amen”

Here is a look at some great bedtime prayers for Christian meditation followed by some uplifting relaxation music to help you release your burdens to God for a nice restful sleep.

About the Author of this Blog Post
Crystal Ayres has served as our editor-in-chief for the last five years. She is a proud veteran, wife and mother. The goal of ConnectUs is to publish compelling content that addresses some of the biggest issues the world faces. If you would to reach out to contact Crystal, then go here to send her a message.

Источник: //connectusfund.org/12-good-bedtime-prayers-for-adults

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