“…Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)
 
     This week presented many challenges. Back spasms, nose sniffles, and headaches headlined. But of paramount warred distractions. My own worst enemy, self-induced pressure also bore weight upon my shoulders. The end result? Stolen joy and adverted focus.

    Amidst my strivings, I returned to my study in Luke. As I read through this passage, the image of Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus stirred my conscience. Here, amidst the hustle and bustle, Mary made a different choice than Martha. Rather than be consumed by worries or distractions, Mary chose to be present with Jesus and soak in His Word. She chose the Good Portion.
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    What about us? Like Martha and Mary, we are faced with a choice. Either we allow stressors and troubles to consume our focus or we can choose Jesus as our Good Portion. For when Jesus is our portion, our focus becomes not the worries but Jesus, Himself. Everything else pales in comparison. For He is more than enough. He is our portion and strength who will always remain with us in every circumstance. An ever-present joy and light amidst the darkness. And He is good. Are you choosing the Good Portion?

Mental images twist and turn. Imagined scenarios replay and loop. There, in the recesses of my mind, my expert cross-examination and defense win justice. Silly, this sounds. But with a confrontation soon arising, I could not shake the mental footage. It consumed. It festered. It controlled.

Even as I lay awake at 4 a.m., I knew the enemy’s strategy. It was a diversion. An effective one. Keep thoughts and energy focused solely on the injustice and the fight. Not on Jesus. And certainly not on laying it down.

Yet, I could not stop. I couldn’t even disembark. Every attempt to disengage resulted in a runaway train. Help me, Lord, I inwardly begged, help me take each thought captive. But the train chugged on.

Into the next morning the battle waged. Every scenario role played in my head. Talons sunk deep and My eyes struggled to fix upon Jesus. Each time, I was derailed. And with each failure, discouragement set in. Soon, I found myself battling not just the transgressor in my mind, but myself.

But God’s Word is a weapon. It is the double-edged sword of the Spirit. It thrusts and parries. It blocks yet advances. It slashes but shields. So to His Word I fled. And to the book of Nehemiah, I turned.

Nehemiah, an exiled Israelite, mourned for the Jewish survivors, Jerusalem and its broken walls. He cried out for the remnant, desolate city, and requested to go rebuild the walls. God granted him wisdom, favor, strategy, and success. As I sat and studied, God opened my eyes. He gave a new vision. And HE broke my heart for our country. Raise up Nehemiah’s in our land, I cried out. And give them the battle strategies to rebuild our prayer walls. Over and over my spirit pleaded.

But as my soul cried, something happened. Something new. A personal strategy for my own battle arose. A phrase murmured. Could it be? Then, with head bowed, I silently uttered the words to the video playing in my head. The battle is Yours, Lord, I breathed, the battle is Yours. To my surprise, the video halted. It stopped. But almost instantaneously, it started again. For Satan does not like letting go. The serpent of old persists with deadly vigor. But Christ has already won. And through Him, we claim the victory.

“The battle is Yours,” I whispered again. Mental arguments still cross-examine. Movies still played. But now I was armed for war. So when the next video started rolling, I spoke aloud.

“The battle is Yours, Lord, the battle is Yours.” Over and over the barrage continued. But so did I. Persistence of proclaiming God’s prayer of promise firmed my resolve. Each movie, each thought, each worry, each argument was now met with a prayer, promise, and a truth. And the talons which gripped tight now loosened. The pressure released. And I began to breathe.

With every utterance, with every proclamation, strength grew and angst diminished. Where I began in a whisper, I now shouted.

“The fight is Yours! The fight is Yours! It is not my battle, it is Yours!” Dishes clanked. Fists pounded. Hands raised. “The battle is Yours!” And of all things, praise began swelling. Where mortal combat once death gripped my every thought, freedom surged alive. Praise filled my every pore. Praise to God for the battle strategy He gave. Praise I was no longer captive but free. Praise for the laying down and surrender. Praise that the battle was no longer mine. And praise for not needing to know the outcome of my confrontation because I already knew the outcome of the war.

And almost as if God had choreographed it Himself, Matt Maher’s Alive and Breathing song came on the radio, joining my jubilation. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb8laAy5zHs)

“Let everything, let everything, let everything, praise the Lord!” Leaning over, I cranked up the volume. Soon, I sang not only the words but yelled them at the top of my lungs. So filled with gratitude and joy, I began to jump and dance on my kitchen floor. Hands lifted high, my fingers spread wide in abandon.

“Joy still comes in the morning, hope still walks with the hurting… If you’re still alive and singing, praise the Lord!!” And with dirty pots and dishes as spectators, I danced as David danced and praised the Lord.

For the battle is not ours dear friends. It is God’s and God’s alone. The God of angel armies fights for us. He goes before us. He guards us from behind. Who else better to fight for us then all powerful, almighty God who knows the hidden motives of man? Whom better to lay down our burdens? Whom better to take up our fight? And with these four simple words, I lay down the instruments of my own making to surrender my fight before the Lord. This is how we do battle. This is how we fight a spiritual war.  This is our battle strategy.

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb flowing down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and the servants will serve Him. For they will see His face, and His Name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night, they will not need the light of the lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:1-5 (NIV)
 
A Prayer Over Our Children
Oh God, may my children serve You and see Your face within Your holy city. I pray they will behold Your marvelous wonders and know Your glorious truths. Place Your Name upon their foreheads and illuminate them with Your Light. Give them wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of the things soon to come. Bless them through the keeping of the words of Your prophecy. May they fall in worship of You who is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Wash their robes, oh Lord, so they may eat of Your tree of life and enter Your city gates. Quench their thirst, I pray, and let them come, blessing them with the free gift of Your living water. Come, Lord Jesus, come and bless my children with Your grace.
 
Revelation
Today, I sit. Thoughts flow. Questions hover. Gratitude envelops and awe abounds. As I pen this prayer of the last book and chapter of the Bible, memories surge.
    
Four years ago, I embarked upon this mission to use the Word of God as the double-edged sword of the Spirit in prayer over my daughter. Much has changed since then. Friends, communities, vehicles, and even jobs. Sweet Pea, too, has changed. No longer does she mispronounce words or brim with tears when at school. Gone are the sippy cups and toddler sizes. Goodbye to the days of picking or scooping her up in my arms.
    
Some things are the same. my little girl still loves to play. Legos and Hatchimals abound. With the same excitement as her first sung words, Sweet Pea still sings with enthusiastic abandon. We still live in our blessing of a home. And I still love to write.
    
Looking back, it seemed ridiculous, even impossible, to traverse from Galatians to Revelations in prayer and writing. I wondered if I would ever make it. And I wondered if it would make a difference.
    
Did it? Has it? I can only speak for my family and myself. But yes. It has. Whether it has simply been God’s grace, intentional parenting, or prayers galore, Sweet Pea walks with the Lord. Even at her young age, she weighs her decisions against the Word and prays for God’s wisdom. Of course, like all of us, she rebels and makes mistakes. And some days, I despair of ever teaching her self-control over her tongue, behaviors, and attitudes. But God keeps calling and she keeps following.
    
What about me? Many things have I learned from this prayer journey. One valuable truth I gleaned is how Scripture gives power and authority in prayer. It firms our footing, clasps high the shield of faith, and wields the sword of the spirit with deadly blow. It goes before our children. It surrounds, fills, and covers. It transforms. It renews.
    
For myself, I am amazed how reading and praying through the Bible metamorphosized me. I have fallen deeper in love with Jesus. I Treasure His Word more dearly and understand more clearly. It changed me from the inside out. It has given me new eyes in which to see.
    
As a wife, I find myself serving  my husband with deeper gratitude, more eager to support and follow. As a parent, greater gentleness and grace salt my words of correction while also arming me with Truth in love. And as an individual, God’s Word has filled me to overflowing. Each day my identity is found more in Christ and less in the world. Each day, I grow in peace with my weaknesses and find strength in my Lord.
     Now inches and feet taller, Sweet Pea has quickly gained ground against my small stature.

     “I’m gonna be taller than you!” she gloats, saluting against my breastbone. I smile down on her. In a few short years, she will be the one grinning down at me.

     “I hope so,” I remark. And I do. But where my daughter’s statement extended only to physical stature, mine encompasses more. Yes, prayer for healthy physical development. But just as important, perhaps even more so, prayers for spiritual growth. Pleas for an ever expanding shield of protection and covering. Petitions to God that our children will grow taller in their faith and deeper in their walk with Jesus to tower over their parents with greater humility, grace, and faith.

     Yes, praying Scripture over our children makes a difference. For the better. Both in them, and in us. Keep on praying my fellow parents and grandparents. Use God’s Word to guide and guard you. Wield it as a weapon in your lives and in the lives of those whom you love. Keep on praying.
 

A Parents Prayer
Thank You Lord for Your Word. May it be a lamp unto my feet and light to my path. Help me be a faithful steward of Your mysteries and Your humble servant. Guide me by Your Word, oh God, and help me to live it out in my life, my family’s life, and the world around me. Amen                 .