Heavenly Father, I ask for Your wisdom and enlightenment as I study for next week’s lesson.
Help me, Lord, to understand Your Word. I know that thousands of years separate us from when Your Word was written. The culture today is very different than those to whom Your Word was first written. Therefore, I pray for Your help as I seek to understand how the first hearers of scripture understood what You were saying to them and then bridge it to our context and culture today.
Father, I ask for wisdom in applying Your scripture. Help us not to use Your words as “proof texts” to create legalistic rules with which You are not pleased. Yet help us also to regard Your Word as authoritative, rather than merely “good suggestions” for living.
I pray also that You would give me creativity and passion in delivering this lesson. Help me to present it in such a way that my students are truly engaged with the topic and text. Help me to teach it with such passion that the students are not bored or might think that the text does not matter to their lives.
Thank You for the help You are sure to give. Amen.

Heavenly Father, I come to You again asking for Your blessing upon our class. I pray especially now for those who were absent from class this past weekend.
I pray for (list each absentee student by name) who missed class this week because (list the reason each student missed, if known).
Father, some of these who missed class this past Sunday could not avoid it because of sickness. We pray for healing for them. Encourage them in their walk with You. Help them, even though they had to miss, to study their lesson and hear Your Holy Spirit’s encouraging voice.
Some of our absentees are out of the area for various reasons - work, vacation, etc. Go with each one wherever they are. Keep them safe. Help them to worship You, even though they are out of their regular routine. Bring them back to us, encouraged in their faith, and on fire for God.
Some who missed did not come because the things of this world are more enticing to them than Your Word. Father, speak to them about their spiritual condition. Help them to see how their love for You is cooling. Convict them of this sin and reignite in them a passion for You, we pray.