A Mother's Prayer

My heart has rested heavy this week in thoughts of my children.
They're a great kids.
But they keep me dependent in needing to see God's hand in their lives. Dependent that the Holy Spirit will speak to them in a way that their young hearts can understand. Dependent that we're not screwing them up with our parenting, coming down too hard sometimes, too softly others. So I'm once again encouraged by these few lovely stanzas, beautiful and haunting, written by Ruth Bell Graham. I cannot begin to relate to any of these Mothers mentioned, but I find relief that the Lord sees every detail, both in my family and in other families suffering great trials, and will work those details for His best.

A Mother’s Prayer

Had I been Joseph’s mother
I’d have prayed
protection from his brothers:
“God, keep him safe;
He is so young,
so different from
the others.”
Mercifully she never knew
there would be slavery
and prison, too.

Had I been Moses’ mother
I’d have wept
to keep my little son;
praying she might forget
the babe drawn from the water
of the Nile,
had I not kept
him for her
nursing him the while?
Was he not mine
and she
but Pharaoh’s daughter?...

Had I been Mary -
Oh, had I been she,
I would have cried,
“....Anything, O God,
anything...
but crucified!”

With such prayers
importunate
my finite wisdom
would assail
Infinite Wisdom;
God, how fortunate
Infinite Wisdom
should prevail!

Comments