Prayers for Teachers: A Prayer for the First Day of School

Written prayers are a way to come to God when our own hearts feel reflective, silent, confused, overwhelmed, or exhausted. They allow us to speak true things that help to align our hearts and minds with what God is doing and what He wants to do through us. These “Prayers for Teachers” can be prayed by individual teachers or collectively as a staff team as a way to commune with God throughout different seasons of the school year.

Our Father,

The One who knows all things, we long to learn more about You this year.

We long for You to open our eyes to Your grace and goodness.

We long to see You all around us.

We long to feel You leading and guiding within us.

We long to recognize Your hand at work in the lives of our students.

 

We know that You are already present in every part of our school year, but we ask for a deeper awareness of Your presence.

 

This school year stretches before us, open with opportunity.

We know there will be many delights—moments of joy and laughter and excitement. We ask for open hearts to revel in these gifts from You.

We know there will be many challenges—moments of frustration and despair and disappointment. We ask for the courage to face these situations with grace.

We know there will be successes and triumphs this year. Give us the humility to remember that we may plant and we may water, but it is You who gives the increase.

We know that we will experience personal failures and weaknesses this year. Give us the perspective it takes to remember that You are a God who can work out all things for good.

 

Help us to care about the things You care about. May the minutia of our daily tasks not steal our focus from the opportunities You give us to speak life, build character, and make Your name great.

Help us to love our students as You love them. May we see each child as uniquely, beautifully created by the One who makes no mistakes.

Help us to view all things as service to You, whether it is preparing our lessons or playing soccer or cleaning up after a sick child or emailing an upset parent.

 

We want to be Your hands and Your feet.

 

Thank you for the incredible privilege we have to impact these lives. We cannot do this alone. Thank You that You are always with us.

Multiply our small efforts. We are excited to see how You will do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think this year.

 

We walk gratefully into this school year knowing that You are here.

Amen.