During our Lord’s Day corporate worship services, our Pastors rotate delivering the public reading of the Scripture (1 Timothy 4.13) and Pastoral Prayer (1 Timothy 2.1). We strive to publicly cultivate and model the exercise of ‘praying God’s Word back to Him’ as we have just read and heard it … and it focuses on a particular subject of intercession for that day and occasion. We intentionally keep the Pastoral Prayer brief and pointed.

I was asked to deliver it on 9 August 2026, and since that week was the beginning of new school terms, we prayed for all things “Back to School.” For those who expressed an interest in it or asked for a copy of the prayer, I humbly offer it here with the on-going prayer that God will use it to inspire, encourage, and edify your own…

The Scripture references that are included are not recited—they are just the other relevant Scriptures that come to my mind as I prepare to pray it and inspire the specific wording of the particular petitions. 

SCRIPTURE READING | 2 Corinthians 5.11-21

PASTORAL PRAYER | All Things “Back to School” 

O God, You are the creator, fountain, and giver of all true knowledge and wisdom. You are the All-Wise, Only-Wise God! And to fear You, know You, and to be reconciled to You is true wisdom and eternal life. (Romans 16.27; 2 Corinthians 5.18-20)

And so, it is to You we pray for all of our students who are now beginning a new school year. Some of them may be excited about going back to school—maybe even for the very first time. Or it may be that they [or their parents] are suffering from anxieties, dread, or even fears during these days for various reasons. If they are, may You quiet their hearts as they entrust their children and themselves to Your care.

We call on You, O God, to cover them with your physical protection—keep them from danger, harm, and violence.

And guard, not only their physical bodies, but keep and guard their minds and hearts, especially. Keep them from all the alluring temptations to believe, accept, or embrace anything that is only “falsely called ‘knowledge’”—that will distract them from seeing and pursuing the Glory of Christ and the will of God—or the convictions of our faith that are grounded in Christ – whether it be in beliefs, conduct, or lifestyle. (1 Timothy 6.20-21)

May we test and prove everything we hear by the purity and truth of Your Holy Scriptures…which are ‘able to make us wise unto salvation.’ (2 Timothy 3.14-16)

Some of our parents are in school or other trainings, also. Give them the physical strength, Godly wisdom, and spiritual stamina to balance all the priorities and demands that they must deal with—and may they keep their eyes of faith and focus fixed on Jesus. (Hebrews 12.1-2)

And if they are schooling at home, give them all the wisdom, discernment, and strength they need to do that well!

We pray for all of their teachers, professors, and administrators also—a host of whom are right here in this very room. May each of them exercise their wisdom and influence toward God and righteousness—& be good models for their students to follow—good models of the ‘new creation’ of Grace we are in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5.17)

We pray that we will not seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge only—but that we will—every one of us—commit to a never-ending discipleship after Christ, who calls each one of us to “Come to Me … Learn from Me!”         May we commit ourselves and everything we learn to “no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who for our sake died and was raised” to ‘save us from our sins’ and ‘from this present evil age.’ (Matthew 11.28-30; 2 Corinthians 5.14-15; Galatians 1.3-5)

MAY WE ALL BE RECONCILED TO GOD! (2 Corinthians 5.20)

And whether it is book knowledge or vocational training, may each one of us apply everything we learn and come to know … to our preeminent vocation: to be ambassadors for Christ! (2 Corinthians 5.20)

And now, Pastor Ben is coming to deliver your precious Gospel to us! Anoint him with the Spirit of The LORD…with wisdom and understanding / counsel and might / knowledge and the fear of The LORD... (Isaiah 11.1-2)

And grant us these desires of our hearts through the merits of Your Son, Jesus Christ, whom You have made to be to us … The Wisdom of God — Amen. (1 Corinthians 1.24, 30)