​Colossians Chapter 4

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2)

A Prayer for My Daughter

May You, oh God, devote my little one to prayer and open a door for her to proclaim your message. Let wisdom and grace guide and govern her words and interactions with the world so that she may spread Your light. Bless her with Godly friends who will encourage her, wrestle in prayer for her, and stand firm in the Lord beside her. Abide with her, Oh Lord, and call her deeper so that she may rest in the assurance of Your love and Your promises. Equip her, oh Lord, to do the work You have called her to do and help her to persevere to its completion. ... 

Sweet girl jumped and danced, a wide smile on her face and her skirt twirling. She sang as loud as her little lungs could sing, “Jesus Messiah, Lord of All!” I smiled to myself as we stood in church joining in the praise and worship of God on this communion Sunday. We commandeered the very last row of the sanctuary, bags filled with coloring books, stickers, crayons, books, and snacks strewn all over the seats and the floor. Today, my husband filled in with the sound, helping to accentuate the voices through minor adjustments of the dials. It had been a while since he last served on sound, but the buttons on the sound board were well familiar friends. Elation reverberated within Sweet girl to once more sit in the very back with her Daddy on sound. Here, In the far back, away from the main body of worshipers, Sweet girl possessed ample room to dance and twirl to the praise and worship music to her heart’s content.

Our worship leader paused between songs to pray and then began strumming well familiar chords.

“Mommy, mommy!” urgently called Sweet girl, bouncing at my knees. “Please pick me up!” Her little hands reached high above her head and stretched towards my arms.

With a big smile, I bent down and scooped up my excited little girl. The verses of the song washed over us in a powerful proclamation.

Little girl wrapped an arm around my neck and joined in the singing. “I’m no longer a slave to fear,” she declared, “for I am a child of God.” Her voice gained in volume, “I’m no longer a slave to fear,” she sang with gusto, “for I am a child of God.” Our church congregation lifted their voices and allowed the truth of these words to wash over them. Again, and again, these verses were repeated, each time sung with greater conviction than the last. Sweet girl’s voice rang out above the voices, “I am a child of God!” she shouted with all her might, “I am a child of God! “she proclaimed at the top of her little lungs. 

I stood with Sweet girl on my hip, holding up my rapidly growing child, reveling at this awesome privilege it was to worship not only the one, true God, but to be able to worship in spirit, in truth, and in one voice with my little girl. All I could utter was a silent, but heart felt, Amen, to the freeing and bondage breaking words that this worship song proclaimed. I reveled with pure enthusiasm, childlike abandon, and complete conviction of heart and voice with which Sweet girl engaged. She raised her little arms, oblivious and uncaring of the peering eyes and turned heads that looked her way. Then, as we transitioned to a new worship song, Sweet girl snuggled in my arms and nestled her head in the hollow of my neck while wrapping her arms and legs around me in an embrace. I kissed the top of her head, drinking in the scent of her little girl smell, and leaned my cheek against her ear. Thank you Lord for these precious moments, I inwardly prayed as I swayed and rocked my little girl in my arms, her body folded up like a pretzel, for these moments where I still get to hold my Sweet pea are rapidly disappearing as she grows taller and becomes too heavy for me to hold.

I hugged Sweet girl, relishing the feel of Little girl resting in my mother arms. Soft cheek against my collarbone, small hands patting my back, little girl legs dangling around my waist, and my arms straining to hold Sweet Pea’s weight.

Time flashes by too quickly, soon the preschooler will grow into an elementary schooler and then to that of a teenager. These moments we still get to hold our children in our arms will soon be gone as little legs, arms, and torsos lengthen into capable, independent children. Cherish these moments of child love and childish abandon, where our little ones care not of what the world or others think but only delight in the joy of the present. Let our voices unite in praise to our Heavenly Father, joy and laughter with our children, and worship in thanksgiving to our God for His great goodness and love for us.

A Prayer for Myself

Dear Lord, help me to treasure each moment with my sweet, little one. Allow me to savor the hard and trying times as much as the fun and tender ones. Help me give thanks for these precious, fleeting moments when our children are so little and small. Grant me joy in the daily struggles and the imperfections of motherhood. Let me glory in the sweet perfume of young childhood innocence and joy.