Today’s prayer is a simple one.

Lord, may the children in my life be still and know that You are God. Psalm 46:10 In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Be still and know that I am God.  Psalm 46:10

As I recently dwelled on that verse, I realized  that this one verse embodies all three components of our life:  the physical, the mental, and the spiritual.

It is in the physical realm that we can BE STILL.  We can all agree that it is hard to BE STILL. I love my life! I would not choose to change a thing about it.  But I have to admit that it is hard for me to be still.  I mean, doesn’t another verse tell us to “run the race to win the prize”?  And yet, we have been created to Be Still.   We NEED to be still.  Our society has lost the understanding of the importance of just Being Still. Often, if we are still, we are scrolling on our phones, not truly resting or enjoying the world around us.

We must learn to BE STILL.  What does that look like, practically?  I really can’t say what that looks like for you.  Those are choices that you alone can make.  But I do believe that it boils down to this:  eliminate and concentrate.  Eliminate those things that are unnecessary in your life.  Concentrate on what matters–even if that means that you have to go against the crowd. Give yourself wider margins in life; don’t fill up every second of every day.  If you do, you will look back and realize that your days flew by in a blur and you will have missed it. And this can happen to our children, as well.

The verse says:  Be still and know that I am God

BE Still is in the physical realm.

AND KNOW is in the mental realm.  What do you know?  What is truth?  So many lies bombard us and our children all the time… “I am not good enough”  “I am not efficient enough”  “I am not gifted enough” What about this one?  “I have messed up too badly to be redeemed.”  God’s Word blows that lie out of the water, and shouts the truth that no one and no situation is unredeemable.  We need to take our thoughts captive, as 1 Corinthians says.  We need to examine our thought processes.  We need to quit believing lies about ourselves, and instead commit to only focusing on what is true, and good and right.  We need to know the truth and we need to live like we know the truth. And we need to pray this for our children as well.

What did the verse say?  It says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

BE STILL is in the physical realm.  AND KNOW is in the mental realm.

THAT I AM GOD.  That part is in the spiritual realm.  We need to know that there is a powerful one who is on our side.  God can bring the calm to our chaos.  God can right our wrongs.  God will never leave us nor forsake us. And so today, let’s pray all of these things for our children. Let’s pray that they will be still and know that He is God.

For this reason I kneel before You, Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. Lord, I pray that out of Your glorious riches my children may be strengthen with power through Your Spirit in their inner beings, so that You, Lord, may dwell in their hearts through faith. And I pray that they, being rooted and established in love may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that my children may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

                                    Ephesians 3: 14-19

This prayer found in Ephesians really says it all.  It combines the hopes and dreams I have for my children.  I want them to experience the fullness of God—not just a little bit, all of it.  I want them to know, really know, the love of Christ.  I want them to understand that the love of God is wide enough, long enough, high enough, deep enough to cover any mistake, any insecurity, any fear, any foe that they may encounter.  I want them to know the power of God in their hearts, and spirits, and souls, and minds.  I want them to be rooted in love, which will keep them steady when the tough winds of life blow.  It is for these reasons that I kneel before God, every day.  Many times I literally kneel, but always my heart is on its knees, bowing to the only One who has all the answers I need.

Since we are 30 days in,  I hope and pray that we are now in a habit of praying for the children in our lives.

It matters.

It makes a difference.

God does hear and will answer.

Just wait and see.

Lord, please search the hearts of my children.  Point out anything in their hearts or minds that offends You.  Convict them of their sins, Lord.  It is only by the power of Your Holy Spirit that we truly see our actions and attitudes the way You do.  Change my children in the areas that they need change, and lead them along the path of everlasting life.   Psalm 139: 23-24  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

There is a fine line between teaching and nagging, between guiding to maturity and trying to control.  I have crossed this line many times, and it never turns out well.  Honestly, it took me a while to realize that I am not the Holy Spirit in their lives and I should not try to be.  It is, in fact, sinful to try to be.  Only the Holy Spirit can breathe transforming truth to my children to change what needs to be changed.  I am simply required to hold out truth to them, to teach truth to them—but it is the Holy Spirit who makes that truth transform them.

Our calling to a big family and lots of children is a great blessing, indeed.  It is also hard work.  A scripture that has been a great source of comfort to me is found in Isaiah 54:13

“All your children will be taught by the Lord,
and great will be their peace.”

Did you catch that first word?  All.  I love that.  In this day and age it seems a difficult feat for all seven of my children to be followers of truth.  God says differently, and I lay claim to that promise on a daily basis, and I am so thankful that my children are walking with the Lord.  That is not to say that my children and yours won’t have seasons of wandering.  I have had those seasons, too.  But I believe God’s Word and I believe the power of His Holy Spirit.  I encourage you to believe for your children until they believe wholeheartedly for themselves.