Prayer and blessings are the best birthday gifts you can give to teenagers. After all, birthdays are gifts from God. For Christians, every birthday is a time to celebrate God’s gift of life.
Saying a birthday prayer or bestowing a birthday blessing is a reminder that all life comes from God. Think about it: Every person is literally a gift from God!
In addition, a birthday is an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to God. We begin another 365 days ready to love and serve God and others. Remind kids about the heavenly significance of every birthday by using a prayer and blessing from the suggestions below.
How to Do a Birthday Blessing
1. Declare God’s love.
First, birthdays are a great time to say I love you, especially to kids. But also say, “God loves you,” and “Jesus loves you.” This is a theological affirmation: the God of the universe loves YOU!
2. Give thanks for the birthday person.
Language is important here. It’s not, “God, we thank you for Tanya’s birthday today.” But rather, “God we thank you FOR Tanya, your beloved child. Thank you for the gift of her life.”
3. Bless the birthday person.
This is all about making a big deal. Stand up, lay your hands on the birthday person’s head or shoulders. Say one of the birthday prayers or Scripture blessings below. Then bless the person!
You can say, “I bless you… (or, you are blessed…) in the name of God OR in the name of Jesus OR in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Birthday Prayers for Teens
A Prayer for a Birthday
God of all creation, we offer you grateful praise for the gift of life. Hear the prayers for __________, your servant, who recalls the day of his/her birth and rejoices in your gifts of life and love, family and friends. Bless him/her with your presence and surround him/her with your love, that he/she may enjoy many happy years, all of them pleasing to you. We ask this through Christ our Savior. Amen.
(Printed in the United Methodist Book of Worship)
Our Times Are in Your Hand
O God, our times are in your hand. Look with favor we pray, on your servant _________, as he/she begins another year. Grant that he/she may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen his/her trust in your goodness all the days of his/her life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(By Charles Price, Episcopal Book of Common Prayer; Presbyterian Book of Common Worship)
