Galatians, Chapter 4

​“Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba Father.’” (Galatians 4:6, NIV)

A Prayer for My Daughter

​Grant my child a holy inheritance. Redeem her soul, Oh God, and free her from sin and the law. Send the Spirit of Your Son into her heart so that she might call You, Abba Father. Let her be known by You, God, and may she never stray from Your promises. Fill her with all joy. May she possess a persevering and enduring faith, for she is a child of Promise. ...

​Today, my sweet one and I enjoyed a morning of fun and fresh air at a nearby park. Lunch time drew close and the heat beat upon our faces. Her cheeks flushed bright pink and I was eager to go home. Unbeknownst to me; however, at noon, a mom’s group uses our playground for an organized play-date. Moms trickled in one by one with their children. “Are you here for the mom group?” asked a woman. She stood awkwardly on one foot. “No,” I laughed, “I guess I am just here at the right time and the right place.” With interest, my sweet one watched the woman's daughter run around on the jungle gym. The playground had been devoid of any children prior to this mom’s arrival.

“May I go play?” she asked with a hopeful spark in her eyes.

“Yes, you may play for a little bit,” I answered with a smile, and then formally introduced myself to the other mom. After a few short moments, I learned her name and her daughter’s.

“It’s so hard to make friends,” commented the other woman, “we are in the military and we move all the time.”
​
“I agree,” I absent-mindedly replied, keeping an ear out for my sweet one, “we moved here two years ago and I am still trying to make friends.”

I told her about the two faith-based mom's groups I attend, and offered them as potential resources.
​
“I was a part of one of them a few years ago,” she informed, “I wasn’t really into religion then, but this group was totally different. They didn’t try to shove religion down my throat. It was actually quite nice.”

More moms and children converged onto the playground and soon we were surrounded.

“Let’s go,” I called, “it’s lunch time!”

My daughter tugged on my arm, “Mommy, may I play on the swings?”
​
“No, baby,” I said, “it’s time to go.”

Instead of her typically compliant self, she pulled on my arm again and insisted, "Please Mommy, may I swing?”

Using my no-nonsense Mommy voice now, I commanded, “No, it is time to go. Now, obey Mommy.”

I began walking with the cane in one hand and my little girl's hand in the other. Unfortunately, we passed by the coveted swings. Once more, she begged, “Please, Mommy, may I swing?” Another little girl happily swung in the swings on the other end, her mommy standing behind her to push.

​"We are leaving,” I said with irritation.

​“Yes, Mommy,” came her sad little voice.

I apologized to the mother standing beside us, “Sorry, she just wants to swing now because there is someone else swinging.”

“Oh,” came the uncertain response of the other mom, then a pause, “where does that group meet that you told me about?”
​
I realized then, that this was the mom I had just been talking with a few minutes before. Tossing the church’s name out over my shoulder, I hurriedly herded my little girl away.

​At home, smearing hummus on pita chips, my spirit felt troubled, my stomach churned. God was convicting my conscience. This young mom needed more than I had taken the time to give her. She was lonely, perhaps even seeking God, and I had not taken the time to hear her, see her, or reach out to her in the love of Christ. I had not loved my neighbor.

​Sitting down to eat at the kitchen table, I could not stand it anymore.

“Sweet one,” I confessed, “Mommy made a mistake.”

My daughter looked over at me gravely as she munched on her hummus smeared pita chip.

“Did you want to stay at the swings because you wanted to get to know that little girl?” I asked.

”Yes,” she said soberly.

​In that moment, I knew why she had been so insistent. If I had taken the time to hear my daughter or hear the voice of the Lord, if I had allowed my little girl to swing as she had begged, more opportunity would have been made for me to speak to the heart of this lonely mom. God had been trying to use my little girl to help me get acquainted with this woman! But I did not heed His soft promptings, and instead chose to focus on my own plans, rather than His.

“I’m so sorry.” I looked at her with serious eyes. “Mommy made a mistake. I should have reached out to that mom and talked to her more. I think we better pray for that mom and her daughter.”

So, right then, in the middle of lunch, we bowed our heads and prayed for God to touch this young woman and make Himself known to her.

​After we finished praying, my daughter softly reached over to touch my arm. With the gentlest of little girl tones and the largest of imploring, kind eyes, she said softly, “I think you need to ask God for forgiveness Mommy.”

My heart melted and my eyes filled. My little girl sat encouraging me to make amends with Christ, to say I was sorry, and start new again. And in her gentle, loving, encouraging ways, she was modeling Christ to me. For Christ stands at the door, ready to receive us with love and open arms, no matter what we have done and no matter where we are at. He does not wait to pounce or pound upon us the wrongs we have committed, but rather welcomes us with gentleness, acceptance, and deep love. Here, my sweet girl was doing exactly that.

​I sat humbled. How many times had I corrected my little girl with irritation, or barely controlled anger rather than in the sweet, gentle tomes of love that my little girl just demonstrated. Yet, in this moment, all that mattered was the tangible, real concern and love this little girl held for her Mommy; a love so deep that she desired peace and reconciliation with God on my behalf. Oh, it was with the sweetest of loves, humblest of hearts, and wettest of eyes, that I bowed my head a second time to pray at the lunch table – this time to ask for God’s forgiveness.

A Prayer for Myself

​Oh Lord, help me to model Christ’s love to my child. Fill me with a love so deep and wide that it overflows into the lives of others. Help me to hear Your voice, heed Your Words, and obey You. Help me to love my neighbor as myself and show love to the lost.