Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at every street corner.

Lamentations 2:19

At the beginning of this verse, God tells us to pour out our hearts to Him, and we discussed pouring out last week. You can read it HERE. 

But what does “when the watch begins” mean?

In biblical times, there were designated hours in the night know as watches. These watches were when nations, such as the Israelites, would be on the lookout for enemies who would try to gain entry into the city walls or camps. Enemies might try to attack at night because they would be more easily hidden, and their opponent would be sleeping, making a surprise strike more imminent.

As you pour out your heart to God for your children, I want you to consider always pouring out your heart during a watch; a time when attacks are more imminent.

Not sure when this might be? Let me ask you this question:

When might your children be more vulnerable to attacks and temptation by an enemy/Satan?

• Is it at night, when they begin to fear going to bed because of the dark, scary dreams, or noises outside?
• Are they more prone to attack during the day when they are at school with their peers? Might Satan try to reach them that way through gossip, self-esteem issues, bullying, academics, etc.?
• What about going out on a date or to a party where sexual and/or substance temptations might occur?
• Could their job provide opportunities for Satan to sneak in and lead them from God as they make moral decisions and interact with people from the community?

This verse is a clear reminder we are to pour out our hearts during a watch or times when our children are most vulnerable to the enemy! Keep this in mind as you continually pray for them!

This post was originally published in the online praying event I am currently hosting on Facebook. If you would like to join myself and many other women who are praying for our children over the next 14 days, you can do so by clicking HERE. We would love to have you!