Praise Your Name Prayer

The “Praise Your Name” prayer is a God-centered prayer that begins with attributes and descriptions of God and then leads children into prayer to be more like him. 

Supplies:

• One piece of paper per child (lined paper might be easiest)
• One pen or pencil per child

Instructions:

• Each child turns the paper sideways (landscape style). 
• The child folds the paper to form columns.  Keep folding so that there is one column for each letter of his/her first name.  For instance, “Mary” would have four columns.  If it is “Robert” he would need six columns. 
• The child writes each letter of his/her name at the top of each column.

Step 1:

• Have the children form a circle and sit down.
• All together, at the same time, everyone hands their paper to the person to their right in the circle.
• The child receiving the paper takes note of the letters at the top of each column and then chooses one.  He/she writes down something about God that starts with that letter in the column.
• The group then passes the papers to the right again to the next person so that they write another attribute in another column.  
• Continue passing the papers around as until the original person is holding their paper or until each name has at least two or three attributes listed.

Step 2:

• Each child notes the attributes of God that have been written under the letters of his or her name.  
• Ask the children to share and then talk about each of these attributes.  Take the time to explain so that everyone understands these attributes.  Only God is perfect in any of these things.  Still, we can strive to be more like him and to help others see these things about God.

Step 3- Choose One of these Prayers or Activities:

• After all of the papers are completed then children should join hands.  Children take turns praying and giving God praise for who he is.  Tell the children that they can “peek” when it is their turn to pray so that they can praise God for one of the attributes listed under the letters of their name.
• The teacher collects the papers and then prays out loud for each of the children by name.  For each child choose one of the Godly attributes listed by the letters of their name and pray that the child will grow in this.
• The children use their own paper to pray silently that they will learn to be more like God in these areas.
• Each child can choose one attribute and circle it.  The children then exchange papers so that everyone prays for another child.  They should pray for God’s help that they can be more like God in the area they have asked prayers for.
• Have children take turns saying one of the attributes.  Each time pause and clap for God.
• Sing praise songs to God.  
• Children can take the papers home and pin it up in their rooms to remind them to be like God.

This prayer idea was adapted from the original instructions found at old.gocampus.org. That site is no longer active.

Printable Instructions

Note

This prayer activity often reveals our own lack of knowledge about the attributes of God.  To help children move to deeper understanding we need to understand first.  Here are some online resources that I have found helpful.

• There is a good list (with explanation) of the attributes of God in an article “Understanding God” at http://www.allaboutgod.com/understanding-god.htm 
• “Jesus Walk” Bible study series “Names and Titles of God” at http://www.jesuswalk.com/names-god/   I really like the downloadable participant handout they provide at http://www.jesuswalk.com/names-god/names-god-participant-handouts.pdf