Grace and a mother’s prayers – two things that sustained me through my young adult years. All of the counsel in the world couldn’t comfort my wounded teenage heart, but I know her prayers stretched beyond words. She reached for me, she loved me, and she did everything she knew to guide and teach me. I look back at choices made as a young teen, friends I had, and environments I found myself in, and my heart is overwhelmed with gratefulness at the knowledge my mother’s prayers were a constant during that time.
There wasn’t a big secret to these prayers. In fact, she shared them with me quite often. Every day before I ran out the door for school, she grabbed my hands and prayed for me. In the evenings she sat on my bed and thanked God that He chose me to be a part of this family. Every time I responded at an altar call, it was her voice behind me that I heard softly whispering prayers of guidance and protection. James 5:16 tells us that it’s our effectual and fervent prayers coupled with our godly living that are powerful. It was the calm consistency of her prayers that I remember. It was the simplicity of them that intrigued me. There was a powerful truth she was teaching me through those prayers; simple honesty with God is powerful.
Whether you have your own children, or you have been blessed to be part of a child’s life in another form, we all have the opportunity to be a voice and a constant in a child’s life. Young people’s lives can be greatly enriched by just one adult who cares enough to love and pray for them. There are children in your church who need someone to pray for them. There are kids down the street no one is praying for. Will we be intimidated by the daunting task of reaching for a soul, or will we embrace the power and simplicity of constant and fervent prayers?
One great truth about our children is that God loves them more than we ever could. His love for them is perfect and unwavering. When we give our children to the Lord in prayer, be assured, they have been put into the hands of the One who loves them the most. Know that God’s promises will be fulfilled in their lives as you stand in the gap for their soul.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
Written by: By Andrea Leaman. She is a licensed minister with the United Pentecostal Church and a graduate of Apostolic Bible Institute. She currently serves alongside her husband as they pastor Gracepoint United Pentecostal Church in Monroe, Michigan.