Philippians Chapter 1

​“And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depths of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11, NIV).”

A Prayer for My Daughter

​Father, may You, at this tender age with my child, begin a precious, new work within her and may You carry it out to completion throughout the whole of her life. Fill my daughter with a love that increases in knowledge and insight as she grows and matures so that ...

she may make wise decisions, know what is best, and stay pure.” Help my daughter stand firm and preach Your Truths with courage, love, and conviction. Bless her, oh God, with an overflowing joy in Christ and help her to live a life worthy of You.

​My brain hurt. The neural pistons of my mind coughed, spluttered, and stalled. After an entire morning and afternoon of joint collaborative writing, the finish line was in sight but our brains protested their weariness. Little girl patiently played on the rug with her toys, occasionally voicing her displeasure and desire for attention. She had enjoyed a full morning at preschool and just emerged from quiet time in her room. Ready to play with Mommy, Little girl wished all intruders would disappear. 

“I’m so sorry, sweet pea,” I apologized, “Mommy is almost done. Why don’t you play with these puzzles?”

​Shoving over the colorful, mismatched pieces, guilt pricked hard at my heart. Sweet girl sighed but reached towards the pile and began fitting the pieces together. Torn between opposing roles of caretaker and colleague, I wondered how to blend home life with professional pursuits. 

With Sweet girl now occupied, I turned my attention back to the sentence that evaded our mastery. Hoping and waiting for that “Aha!" moment, we threw out potential word structures again, and again, but to no avail. Frustrated and nearing mental meltdown, I felt ready to throw in the proverbial towel, when a sweet voice cut through the unsettled air.

“Dear Lord,” Sweet one prayed in her little girl tones, “give Mommy the right words. Amen.” My mouth gaped open and my heart swelled with a blend of tenderness, love, and a sense of undeserved grace. I realized in that moment, not once had I sought the help of our heavenly Father. The thought to even ask or petition his help had not even crossed my muddled mind. Yet, as 2 mature Christian women both wrestled to find words, it was the little one who thought to ask God for help.

It struck me that we were the recipients of undeserved grace from the very one whom received the smallest serving of time and attention but who loved us enough to still intercede on our behalf. Much like that of Christ, so often we give the least amount of our time and energy to the One who paid the price for our sins, yet regardless of our sins and failures, He waits with eager, open arms and lavishly pours love, grace, and blessings on us.

How compassionate and kindhearted is our God who loves us beyond what we can possibly understand or grasp. And here, just like Jesus, my Sweet girl offered us her childlike, innocent love - you know, that love which knows no judgement nor boundaries, withholds nothing and gives all. Simply because I am hers and she is mine. 

Sweet one peeked up at me through her bangs, as if trying to ascertain whether she had done the right thing.

“Oh, sweetheart!” I exclaimed, swooping down with a hug, “thank you for praying for us! I am so proud you asked God to help us! Thank you so much, that was just beautiful!”

She beamed, flashing her irresistible smile, and returned to her puzzle. My heart felt humble for truly, the meek and lowly do see God.

“Let the little children come to me,” commanded Jesus to His disciples, “and do not forbid them, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Are we bringing our children to Jesus? Are we letting them come to Him? Do we fill their hearts with the word of God and teach them His wonderful ways?

​There is a reason why Jesus wants the little children to come, for their minds and hearts are uncluttered, unbiased, and simple in their understanding of God. They see more clearly and feel more truly because they are not yet distracted or burdened by the ways of the world. Their eyes are fresh and their hearts more open to Jesus’s teachings. The question is, are we letting the children come to Jesus or are we holding them back? 

A Prayer for Myself

Dear Lord, forgive me for the many times that I do not give you my time or attention. Change me oh God and help me to make You more of a priority. Give me wisdom to know how to daily fill my child’s heart and mind with Your Word and help me to teach her Your ways.