“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26 ESV).
Our Father, we thank You for this new school year. We ask that You would bless our students and staff in understanding their constant need for Jesus and that they would deepen their understanding and love for the Gospel. Bless our students with minds that will love learning and hearts that would seek to understand the world You have created. Bless and surround them with friends who will make wise choices and encourage their faith. Bless our teachers with wisdom and gentleness, for the tongue of the wise commends knowledge and a gentle tongue is a tree of life. Enable us all to work with diligence and put forth our best efforts in all that we do. Bless and cause us to be swift in listening to others, thoughtful with their words, and respectful in their replies.
Our Father, free us from the pressure of trying to be like everyone else. Bless us with the confidence to know that we are uniquely made by You. Bless us with an attitude that will receive correction well and listening ears to life-giving reproofs, so that we may dwell among the wise. Lord, I pray that your grace and blessing would rest upon all our staff, students, and parents and that You would establish the work of their hands.
Our Father I ask that you would bless us in the midst of painful times and trials when they come. Remind us that our trials have a way of grounding our faith in ways that prosperity and abundance never can. May our trials become avenues for Your blessing - pushing us to a deeper life with You than we ever thought possible.
Bless us with knowledge that You are for us and with us and in us. Teach us that great families, financial wealth, and good health are all wonderful gifts that we thank You for, but they are not Your greatest blessings. We delight in You our God, for You are the greatest gift of all. It is when we know You and trust You as our God we are truly blessed.
We ask this in blessed name of Jesus, amen.