This mama’s heart has been struggling lately. Though it has been pure joy to have our two children close in age, as they are rounding out their high-school years I’m realizing that all of a sudden – within one and a half year’s time (unless God has something different in store) – life as a family of four will change forever. Not that change is a bad thing at all… This coming change is the next natural step, and I’m grateful that we’re taking it. I’m just thinking of all of the years that I waited to have children in the nest and am realizing that their time to fly on their own is arriving all too soon.
We’ve certainly not done parenting perfectly, but one thing I can take comfort in is that these Walker kids have been covered in prayer! I’m sure that knowing that their mama and daddy pray/prayed for them will one day be a clung-to consolation… but for me… for right now… as I’m subconsciously counting down the days until their wings can fly… it’s a sure security!
Most every time I find a powerful Scripture, I write it down and pray it over this family. I’m learning that we can not force our children to choose to obey God anymore than someone can force us to obey Him at every choice. But I’m also discovering that as we wrap up these training years at home, there is one thing that I can force upon our children whether they like it or not – and that is this mama’s Scripture-based prayers!
God’s Word tells us that it does NOT return void… that it accomplishes what it is sent to do (Isaiah 55:11). And since we know that God’s Word is His will (Joshua 1:8), “… this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him; [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.
And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.” 1 John 5:14-15 (Amp)
A men!
So… I was in one of my favorite passages of Scripture, John 17, the other day and realized that some of these powerful words that Jesus prayed for us, we can pray for our own growing & grown children. I usually pray these words over the groups of women that I’m called to serve, but aside from John 17:17, I don’t recall praying these specific requests grouped together over my own children… until now.
If your nest is empty or quickly becoming that way, and your “mama-control” over your children is all but gone… may these words to pray over your own dear ones bring comfort and hope to your mother-heart today. Because… “He sends forth His Word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction.” (Psalm 107:20) Praise the Lord!!!
“I am praying for them. I am not praying (requesting) for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they belong to You…
Holy Father, keep in Your Name [in the knowledge of Yourself] those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as we [are one]…
I have given and delivered to them Your word (message)…
I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one…
Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the truth; Your Word is Truth…
And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made holy) in the Truth.”
John 17: 9, 11, 14, 15, 17, 19 Amplified Bible
