Helping Children Pray like Daniel
What would you say if I asked if you have any habits? Why not stop to choose three—right now—before reading on…
I find that most people answer that question by giving some of their bad habits. Maybe they crack their knuckles, or are always late for meetings, or pick their nose. But habits can be good as well as bad, and the account in Daniel 6 tells us that Daniel had a very good habit indeed:
Daniel … went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Dan. 6:10)
What was Daniel’s habit? Daniel prayed.
Prayer isn’t the main theme of Daniel 6. Instead, it’s about God showing king Darius that God is the real King of everyone and everywhere, who rescues his people. But we can still help children learn about prayer as they think about Daniel’s habit.
When to Pray
Daniel’s prayer was regular—three times a day. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to help children get into a pattern of daily prayer, and to form a habit that stays with them lifelong? It doesn’t need to be three times (though, why not?) but try to help them start a daily pattern, such as in the morning before school or at night before bed.
It’s also great to introduce a child to irregular prayers. These come as a direct response to something that has just happened. It might be to stop and pray for a friend who’s been hurt. It could be to say thank you to God for a gift or a visitor. Modeling a mix of regular and irregular prayers will help a child grasp that God—the real King of everyone and everywhere—is always with them and ready to listen.
Where to Pray
Daniel prayed in his room—presumably somewhere private and away from distractions. There’s nothing special about a room—we can also pray while out and about, or in the shower, or on a car journey, or at church. But many of us find that having a regular time of prayer in the quiet of our own room is helpful. A bedroom can be a good place if it’s also where your child reads the Bible. That means it’s a place they already associate with getting to know God better.
Young children are concrete thinkers, so they may find it helpful to have something to look at or hold as they pray. Photos can help a child think about the people they are praying for. Looking out of the window can help them pray for their local area. A calendar or diary can help as they pray for an upcoming holiday or camp.
Who to Pray to
The windows of Daniel’s room “opened towards Jerusalem” (Dan. 6:10). For a man living in exile, as Daniel was, this was a way of looking toward the temple, the place that showed God was with his people. For Daniel, the temple was a comforting reminder of the presence and faithfulness of God. But there’s no need to pray towards Jerusalem today, because as Christians we have the Lord Jesus in our hearts and his Spirit helping us to pray.
This is an opportunity to remind your child of one of the great truths of the gospel. Without Jesus, we would all be enemies of God, completely cut off from him by our sinfulness.[1] This separation from God was shown inside the Jerusalem temple by a huge curtain, visually showing that our sin must cut us off from God’s holiness. But at the exact moment that Jesus died on the cross, the temple curtain was ripped in two.[2] That rip—from top to bottom—was a picture of Christ making a way for us to be right with God, and therefore, to be able to come to him in prayer through Jesus.
So as you pray with your child today, maybe use it as an opportunity to remind them of the glorious gospel message—the curtain is torn and the way is open for us to know God, love him, and talk with him.
[1] Romans 5:10
[2] Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 10:19-23
