I have always loved the imagery of a lamp or a light or a lantern, and there are many Scripture passages that use that imagery, and I love all of them. God’s Word is a lamp, a light… we are to let our lights shine, and the references go on and on.
But yesterday I painted this lantern, and though it is certainly not my best artistic work, I was thinking about how I would like to see myself as a “light,” maybe like a flashlight or a beam of light that shows direction. That would be great, if I could be a beacon. A worthwhile goal, of course.
But I kind of like the comforting thought of just a simple lantern shining in the dark—that I would like my family, especially the little ones in our family, to think of me in this way…providing a comforting glow in the darkness.
As I was already in this frame of mind, I started reading a new book by Sharon Jaynes, Praying for Your Child from Head to Toe: A 30-Day Guide to Powerful and Effective Scripture-Based Prayers.
I knew I would love this book, being familiar with the author and also loving the subject matter.
I read Part One this morning. She had me at Chapter 1, “The Battle for Our Children.” As she sets the stage for talking about praying for our children, she begins by telling of the birth of her child, and her words resonated with me for sure. It has been 53 years since I became a mother, but I remember it like it was yesterday. She writes, “An inexplicable bond exists between a mother and her child. While the new life is being knit together in a mother’s womb, her very blood is pumped from her heart to her child’s. And even though the umbilical cord is cut in the delivery room, an invisible, indelible cord of love holds mother and child together for the rest of their lives. A quote attributed to Elizabeth Stone says it so well: ‘Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.’”
Sharon goes on to say, “God has given moms the privilege and parental responsibility to shape and to mold not just another human being but an eternal soul, for a very short, very fleeting period of time. While our roles and responsibilities change throughout the stages from childhood through adulthood, one constant remains…prayer. And though hopefully our children will outlive us, they will never outlive our prayers that are etched in the heart of God.”
The first 50 pages of the book are an introduction to the actual 30 days of prayer, and then, following, each day uses Scripture to pray over the child from head to toe.
To impress upon the reader (mothers and grandmothers) the importance of our role as prayer warriors for our children, Sharon recounts this poem written by a grown man, entitled “The Warrior.”
This morning my thoughts traveled along
To a place in my life where days have since gone
Beholding an image of what I used to be
As visions were stirred and God spoke to me
He showed me a Warrior, a soldier in place
Positioned by Heaven, yet I saw not the face
I watched as The Warrior fought enemies
That came from the darkness with destruction for me
I watched as The Warrior would dry away tears
As all of Heaven’s Angels hovered so near
I saw many wounds on The Warrior’s face
Yet weapons of warfare were firmly in place
I felt my heart weeping, my eyes held so much
As God let me feel The Warrior’s prayer touched
I thought “how familiar” the words that were prayed
The prayers were like lightning that never would fade
I said to God “please, The Warrior’s name”
He gave no reply, He chose to refrain
I asked, “Lord, who is broken that they need such prayer?”
He showed me an image of myself standing there
Bound by confusion, lost and alone
I felt prayers of The Warrior carry me home
I asked “please show me Lord, this Warrior so true”
I watched and I wept, for Mother, the Warrior was you!
—Larry S. Clark
I read this a few times. Picturing myself as possibly in the role of The [Prayer] Warrior for my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren—yes, it makes me realize how very important, even urgent, it is that I continue to pray for each of them, every day. Who knows what battles it may help them win, if God can continue to use me as The Warrior.
Pretty big job. Pretty important role. Behind the scenes. Unseen but always fulfilling my role.
Yes. That’s my goal. That’s my ministry.
#SharonJaynes #children #grandchildren #greatgrandchildren #watercolorlantern #prayingforourchildren #prayer #thebattleforourchildren #prayerwarrior
