A Mother's Prayer

In an earlier post I wrote that we must seek God’s wisdom and direction as we move the shuttle across the colored threads of our children’s lives.  We must pray for God’s guidance in our role as parents.  We must also pray for our children in every season of their lives.  Keith and Kristyn Getty beautifully illustrate these seasons of prayer in their song A Mother’s Prayer.  Our prayers for our children begin when they are wee little ones as we hold them in our arms.  We pray that their little frames grow strong and that faith takes hold while they are young.  In those early days I also prayed not only that faith would take hold when they were young, but also that their faith would grow stronger than my own faith, that they would know the Savior more deeply and personally, and that they would walk with Him all their days no matter what their future held.  In the journey of these years may they trust Him to the end.

But, as many mothers already know, they don’t stay in our arms for long.  They soon demand their freedom and independence.  They totter across the floor and then walk and run through the yard.  As they encounter the world in this new way, they soon learn that this world is not as it should be.  They suffer hurts from falls and friends.  They meet with difficulties and struggles.  They see turmoil and trouble.  And our prayers change with the season.  We pray that the Savior would open their eyes to see all that’s beautiful and true, that His light would fill all they are, and that the jewel of wisdom would fill their heart.  We pray that He would guide us as we hold their hand and teach them the way to go, always with the assurance that He is with us till the end, that He is faithful till the end.

And then, before we are quite ready, they’ll travel where our arms won’t reach as the road rises to lead their feet on a journey of their own.  However, our mother’s heart does not change and we continue to lift them in ceaseless prayer.  We pray that our mistakes would not hinder them but that His grace would remain and guide them through.  We pray that they would take His hand and go where He calls them to and that whatever comes, that they would seek Him with all their heart.  These are my prayers for my children these days.  I know that I have made mistakes along the way, and so I pray that my mistakes will not hinder their walk with the Lord.  I long to take their hands once again, but I know that I must now trust them to a faithful Lord who promises to guide them if they seek Him, and so I pray that they seek Him with all their hearts.

The Getty’s end their song with the words, Father, hear my ceaseless prayer – Oh keep them in your care.  These words echo the prayers in my heart for my own children.  I lift ceaseless prayers for them to a gracious Father who has promised to hear my cries on their behalf and I have the assurance that He will indeed keep them in His loving care.