A Prayer for Your College Student Before the Big Move - Your Daily Prayer - August 1
A Prayer for Your College Student Before the Big Move
By Cally Logan
Bible Reading:
“For the Lord sees not as man sees man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7b).
Listen or Read Below:
The tassels have turned, the warm summer nights are dwindling down, and the extra-long twin bed sheets have been purchased for the young person who is about to start college. It is not just a pivotal time for them academically, but also a dynamic one for life, which will never be quite the same again.
As a schoolteacher and mentor to young people for over ten years, I have been fortunate to watch metaphorical baby birds leap out of the nest and fly from both academic and personal vantage points. Although each student has their own unique journey, there are certain aspects of this transitional time that are universal. For example, even if a young person is ready, eager, and bouncing off the walls to start their next chapter, even the most prepared soul still has a mind that lingers with doubts, “what-ifs”, and questions about what exactly the future holds. Even good change can spark anxiety or fear. This is where the benefit of having a strong support system back at home is an irreplaceable gift. It is not necessarily that they need you to hold their hand through this transition, but knowing that your hand is extended to them will offer the reminder of stability and a safe place.
In 1 Samuel 16, we see the powerful beginning of what an advocate can do for a young person. The Lord has instructed the Prophet Samuel to find and anoint the teenager who would one day become king of all of Israel. In verse 16:7b, God’s heart is revealed in that His desire is not to have someone who looks the part in such a role, but to have someone who is truly all in for living for God: “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (ESV) Through this holy act of anointing, Samuel and David forge not only fellowship but a bond. Not long after David’s anointing, a desperate need required David’s service in the household of the current residing King, Saul. As the years passed, David would defeat Goliath, offer his musical talents to King Saul, and become entangled in the intricate inner workings of the royal court. In time, a well of jealousy arose in King Saul towards David, to the point that he plotted to kill him. When David had nowhere else to go, he recalled that he did indeed have someone he could call on, Samuel. In 1 Samuel 19:18, we are told that Samuel not only offers him guidance, but shelter, “Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and lived at Naioth.” (ESV) It was not that David needed Samuel, for David was anointed by God and therefore under His protection. But what a grace it was unto David that Samuel was not only someone he could call on, but someone he could trust when he did not know what to do next.
Youth may often hold firm to the belief that they are invincible, full-fledged adults, but no matter how confident they appear, they are still insecure or unsure within. This is where and when they need to know where to find a parent(s), mentor, or advocate they can trust. As older brothers and sisters in Christ, we can ask the Lord to make our hearts ever aware and softened to how best to love them, offer godly counsel, or encourage them in the moment. God sees everything, so if He moves you to mail a care package, text a sweet note of hope, or drop a reminder that you care, trust He has an intentional purpose for that nudge. You never know the impact you can have on someone for simply being available and present.
Let's Pray
Father God,
We thank You so much for the young people in our lives. We recognize what an accomplishment it is for them as they venture into the next stage of their lives, moving to college, starting a new career or profession, or exploring new horizons. We also recall the days gone by in our own lives where we experienced the complexities of feeling nervous, curious, and hopeful all at once. Lord, we lift up these young hearts, and we ask that You would make us keenly aware of how we can be the hands and feet of Jesus unto them, not only today, but in the weeks and years to come. We also pray that You would move us when and in what context to share our testimonies where applicable vulnerably so that there is never the feeling of “no one understands”, isolation, or loneliness. We pray more than anything else that You would move in their lives, hearts, situations, and minds that they may call You their Father, their God, and that they would surrender their lives to Your Son, Jesus Christ, as their Savior. We want to see them flourish into the men and women of God You crafted them to be victorious!
Thank You, Lord, and thank You for the gift You have entrusted to us to be in their lives. We do not take that lightly, nor do we count it as commonplace, but as a duty and calling from You.
In Jesus’s Holy Name we pray,
Amen
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