Great Commission Churches

April 2008

Dear Sisters,

Whether we have children born to us physically, or children born "of the Spirit," we know what it is to yearn and ache for our loved ones to experience all of God's best for their lives. "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth," (3 John 1:4).

Our sacrifice and prayers over many years are evidence of our love and faith. But what about when our prayers don't seem to be answered, and our faith is tested? How do we continue to believe God in the midst of the fiercest spiritual battles? This month's writer shares with us how the Lord has used these challenges to draw her to Him and to grow her own faith and relationship with God.

United with you in Him,
Sandy Hopler

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Fight for Your Children

By Thelma Clark, Prairie View Community Church, Colorado

This quote from D.L. Moody reminds me of the heart that the Great Commission has helped instill in us for our children and spiritual children: "My school work will not tell much until the century closes, but when I am gone I shall leave some grand men and women behind." This "heart" is why it's so difficult when, at times, it seems like our loved ones aren't wholeheartedly embracing what God has for them.

One of the ways God has used those times in my life brings to mind the instruction that flight attendants give at the beginning of a flight. If adults are flying with young children, and need oxygen in an emergency, they are told to place the oxygen mask on themselves first…then on the child. In other words, "Stay strong yourself so that you will be able give aid to those in your care." Learning to do this in a spiritual way is one of the main lessons God has been trying to teach me.

When our children were young, I may have naively doubted that we would encounter much "turbulence," but as they have grown, they're facing the same three "enemies" we have to face-the world, the flesh, and the Devil-all of which can disturb the "smoothness of the flight." Consider Nehemiah.

He urged the Jews to not be afraid of the enemy, but to "Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and FIGHT FOR your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes," (Nehemiah 4:14). God is FOR families…for OUR families. When things haven't looked just like I'd hoped for in our family, and I've wanted to give up, this verse has been like God saying to me, "Get up off the ground...you're in a battle! Raise that shield of faith!" He wants me to raise my eyes to Him, the Mighty Warrior who can win this battle, like Moses fought for Joshua by raising His hands to God, obtaining divine help.

We're not like Daniel in a literal lion's den, but it's as if we're in a spiritual coliseum with a roaring lion that IS seeking ones to devour. Psalm 129 says, "They have often attacked me since my youth, but they have not prevailed." Attacks begin in "youth." The Lord promises, "I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save," (Isaiah 49:25). I praise Him that He is on our side and can break snares and cut the cords of the enemy...and I pray for these things (Psalm 124:1, 3, 7 and Psalm 129:4). "The wicked shoot their arrows from the shadows at the upright in heart,"(Psalm 11:2). Our shield of faith stops these arrows!

I can be like the disciples who jumped to a despairing conclusion when the waves came: "We're going to drown!" (Luke 8:24). How convicting that Paul could ALWAYS pray with joy for ones because he was CONFIDENT that He would complete the good work He had begun, despite their imperfections (Philippians 1:6)!

Mary believed the Lord could heal her brother Lazarus as long as he was sick (John 11), but when the Lord allowed his condition to worsen and he died, she stopped believing. Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed (even if it got worse) you would see the glory of God?" Letting it worsen enabled Him to perform a bigger miracle. What a lesson to keep believing when we haven't "seen" evidence of God's victory.

I love seeing God's heart in Isaiah 44:1-5: "This is what the Lord says-he who formed you in the womb and who will help you. Do not be afraid…I will POUR OUT MY SPIRIT ON YOUR OFFSPRING…one will say, 'I belong to the Lord...still another will write on his hand, 'the Lord's.'" Yes, please do! Your Spirit in our children's lives is what will make all the difference.

For years we've devoted ourselves to the many good and right things that will give our children discipline, character, foundations, boundaries, examples, and instruction…but Jesus Himself is the only one (not even my godliness) that can totally heal them spiritually. When the lame man was healed in Acts 3:1-16, Peter asked: "Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? By faith in the name of Jesus this man you see was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing." Our trust needs to be in God to do great things in others…whether it's for the empowerment that He gives us to do good toward them or for His personal involvement in their lives.

Of course our Enemy knows opportune moments to strike with haunting questions like: "What did we do wrong? What has pouring my life out for this person been worth?" While it's important to learn from mistakes and continually grow and change, I've also learned to answer this by agreeing with God's Word, and say, "We've probably done plenty wrong, because all earthly fathers are imperfect, disciplining as they thought best," (Heb. 12:9-10). God chose US to parent these children in spite of the fact that we're imperfect, and He knows that they, like us, can be trophies of one thing: His grace. And I love Paul's quote about pouring out his life for people in II Timothy 4:6-7: "I have already been poured out as an offering TO GOD." The drink offerings were poured on the ground and appeared "wasted," but they were TO GOD who always sees and rewards.

Growing in my realization of God's unlimited ability, and in my relationship with Him, is a great benefit when I see my children go through "imperfect" times. His Word is so intimate, specifically meeting my need at the moment-filling my spiritual lungs with strength and faith once again. Just a word from Him, followed by a choice to believe it and pray it, has transformed difficulties into stepping-stones. Here are a couple of the other phrases He has given me to pray:

"Open the eyes of their Hearts…so they'll know the hope you've called them to," (Ephesians 1:18). You can open their "hearts' eyes" to see all you have for them.

"Inspire them to fear you so that they will never turn away from you," (Jeremiah 32:38-42). Wow, God, you can INSPIRE them!

"Circumcise their hearts and the hearts of all our descendants so that they will love You with all their hearts and with all their souls and live," (Deuteronomy 30:6).

Until my aunt's funeral, I'd never heard that she carried on what she'd seen her mother doing (my grandmother), praying regularly for all of her descendants. Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but wonder if their prayers were a big part of MY loving God. May the Lord use us to be mothers, and grandmothers, who fight for our families by raising our shields of faith, in trust, and involve Him to win battles for our loved ones.