Hebrews Chapter 7

“Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our needs – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.” Hebrews 7:25-26, NIV

Prayer Over Our Children

Bless my daughter, oh Lord, through the inheritance of Your promises. Raise her up from her family line to serve You in deeper, new ways. Set her apart, oh God, from what has previously been weak and useless so that You may draw her close to You through the introduction of Your Greater Hope. Thank You for how You live to intercede for her and for each one of us. May she come to You and may You meet each one of her needs through Your holiness, purity, innocence, preservation from sin, and exalted seat above the heavens.

​You were such a fool, taunted that deprecating voice in the foreground of my mind. She probably thinks you are stupid and lame. What were you thinking of anyway?

All afternoon, self-doubt hovered over me like a blanket, poking me with the sharp finger of accusation. When I stuffed spinach into a salad wrap, it snickered, when I rested on the couch, it sneered, and when I chopped carrots for dinner, it shouted. No matter what I did, I could not shake the loud, denigrating thoughts which sliced and cut like steel, leaving me mortally wounded from the onslaught.

​I tried praying, sought affirmation from my husband, attempted objectivity, and even spoke Jesus’ Name aloud to help dispel the subliminal attacks. Yet, just when I think I conquered the whispering insecurities, another round-off slammed against my mind, piercing and thrusting against me in clawing razorlike abandon. I stood there at the kitchen counter with knife in hand, sawing at the fresh broccoli florets on the cutting board, with jabbing voices tearing my inner self down to shreds.

“Mommy!” enthused Sweet One, sliding open the door from the sun room and bouncing into the kitchen, “I need to change, I’m all wet!” Sweet pea and her father had been outside watering our small crop of cherry tomatoes in the sweltering heat and humidity. 
     
“I’m going to change into my swimsuit!” she laughed, tearing up the stairs as fast as her little legs could run. “I’m going to get Daddy wet!”

A broad smile lit her face and her eyes sparked and gleamed. But, as Sweet girl rushed to change, Daddy came in from the outside, interrupting another crumbling mental accusation. Why did you say that to her? She must think you're uninterested and aloof.
     
“I love you, Jesus,” I spoke aloud to counteract the jeering words in my head. I hoped that perhaps my spoken words would drown out the mental jibes and silence the whirring motion picture looping through my mind's eye.
     
“What was that?” my husband asked, startled as he stood washing his hands at the kitchen sink. “Are you okay?” He cast me a curious look over his shoulder amidst the soapy bubbles and running water. I started to shake my head no, when Little girl burst into the room.
         
“But Daddy!” she wailed when she spied her father as she rushed into the kitchen attired in her yellow mermaid style swim suit. “You’re supposed to be outside, so I can get you wet!!”

She stood with beseeching, worried eyes and tugged at his shirt hem. Sliding the last of the broccoli florets into the pot and pouring in the coconut milk, I quickly addressed both man and little girl.
     
“I’ll make you a deal, honey,” I grinned, giving the pot a good stir with the wooden spoon. The smells of garlic, onions intermingled with curry and ginger, and the rich coconut milk wafted through the air. “If you mind the pot, I’ll go out to play with sweet pea in the water.”

In one fluid motion, my favorite guy grabbed the wooden spoon and bumped me away from the stove with his hips. “Deal!” he declared with a laugh. “I don’t want to get soaked.”
     
“Yay!!” cried the excited, wiggling, small body. She bounced and danced with excitement. Both arms waved high in the air as if in a victory dance. She looked at me with a devious glint in her eyes. “I’m going to get you wet, Mommy!” Sweet one promised. 
     
Sweet pea did indeed make good on her promise. Soak me, she did with pure glee. All I will say is that a hose, buckets, and running water were the only weapons of war, and a water war happily waged fierce and triumphant in the back yard.

My husband, who watched from the safety of the dry sun room, rolled with laughter while he witnessed Sweet pea tearing after her blind momma with hose in hand, shrieking with uncontrollable giggles. Unrelenting sprays of water infiltrated the hot, thick air and buckets on buckets of water flew high off the ground to land in glorious, wet showers on sweaty bodies and parched grass. I won’t say which one of us, the little or the larger, claimed the status of the most drenched, but I will say both mother and daughter were soaked to the skin and laughing those big, deep, full, belly laughs. 
   
We tumbled into our sun room, breathless from laughter and soaked to the bone with smiles big and broad on our face. Water droplets fell to the vinyl floor, showering the sunny room with liquid joy that permeated our very core. 
     
“Mommy!” laughed my Sweet Pea, flinging something soft and dry at me. “Here’s your towel!” she sang. Delighted, she watched as I struggled through the folds of the towel to peek out at her.  
     
“Dinner time!” called my husband. We quickly toweled off and hurried into dry clothing. spicy scents wafted through the air, causing my stomach to growl. 
     
But the most amazing thing happened, subtle and un-precocious in it’s revelations, yet so blinding in its silence. As utensils clinked against porcelain plates, conversation and laughter pervaded the room, and a warm cozy sense of abiding joy resonated deep within, suddenly I realized that the piercing bullets of doubt and accusation no longer held me captive. The Accuser’s taunting voice had fled, and I was now free from it’s clawing grasp. 
     
Throughout the rest of the evening and far into the night, not once did the enemy’s whispers darken the doorstep of my mind as I laughed, danced, and sang with my Sweet Pea, and as my heart glowed in gratitude to God’s goodness.

Tucking little girl securely in her bed, and settling down on the couch beside my husband, I closed my eyes and bowed a grateful head. Thank you, Lord, I silently praised, breathing deep the peaceful calm. I wonder what made the difference? I mused, reflecting on the day. But, just as quickly as the question was posed, God spoke to the quietness of my heart. Satan holds no power in the presence of My joy. 
     
This quiet but profound truth reverberated throughout my being and dazzled me. Satan’s lying and accusing voice is powerless in the presence of pure, absolute, heaven-blessed, deep sweet abiding joy. For it is the fullness of God’s joy that silences the voices. It conquers and leaves no room for denigration, doubt, and self-destruction. For in the presence of real joy, God’s joy, it shines so bright and clear, nothing impure can stand in its light, casting light into the darkest recesses and corners and illuminating them in the love of the Father. Joy fills and does not take away, it does not subtract, or detract, but glows, fills, overflows, and pours out like a waterfall. God’s radiant joy cannot be overshadowed nor overthrown, for it was because of the joy that was set before Him, that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sin and conquered death through His resurrection. Joy.
     
So dear fellow friends and parents, I pray that all of you will know and experience the joy of the Lord this day. May it be your strength, may it pour out in shining, glorious rays to lift heavy hearts and permeate what is dry or parched. May joy light the darkness, joy lift our spirits, and joy overflow in our hearts to touch the lives of our loved and most cherished ones. 

A Parent’s Prayer

Oh Lord, let Your joy be my strength this day. Let Your joy be my shield and a weapon to mortally wound the Enemy and make him flee. Fill me to overflowing and bathe me in the waters of Your sweet, pure, and abiding joy.