back to school prayers for parents | day one | PSALM 139

I’ve heard it said that having children is like having your heart ripped out of your chest and sprout legs.  Mine did times three today, and walked straight into 1^st, 6^th, and 9^th grades.

A prayer has comforted me, guided me, re-aligned me, and taught me since my oldest was a baby.  Psalm 139 was written as a manifesto of the Lord’s intimate knowledge of… me.  Unapologetically personal.  There is no analyzing or interpreting your way out of Psalm 139’s unashamed celebration of a God who deeply knows, deeply loves, and deeply holds an individual child of His.  Me.  You.

But as a mom, I’ve found it’s easier to trust Him with myself and my life than with my kids and their lives.  So fourteen years ago I started replacing the “me” in Psalm 139 with the name of my daughter, and praying God’s Word back to Him.  Matthew Henry advocates this practice of praying God’s Word:

"Divine truths look fully as well when they are prayed over as when they are preached over, and much better than when they are disputed over.  When we speak of God to Him Himself we shall find ourselves concerned to speak with the utmost degree both of sincerity and reverence, which will be likely to make the impressions the deeper."^[1]

Each day this week I'd like to share a prayer He's laid on my heart to pray from His Word.  If you’re a parent of a child going to school today, or really going anywhere, I hope this little practice blesses you in the excruciating, exhilarating journey of watching your heart walk on its own before your very eyes.  You can simply insert your kiddo’s name in the blank.  I find it super helpful to say the words out loud.   Lamentations 2:19 says, “Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord.  Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children…”

I can’t think of a better start than with what He’s already spoken over them.  Let’s pour them out and lift them up today.  In return, I do believe our hearts – what’s left of them – will receive peace, and joy, and an elevated trust in the One they really belong to anyway.

                  You have searched __________, LORD, and you know __________.

                  You know when __________ sits and when __________ rises;

                  You perceive __________’s thoughts from afar.

                  You discern __________’s going out and __________’s lying down;

                  You are familiar with all __________’s ways.

                  Before a word is on __________’s tongue

                  You, LORD, know it completely.

                  You hem __________ in behind and before,

                  And You lay Your hand upon __________.

                  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

                  Too lofty for me to attain.

                  Where can __________ go from Your Spirit?

                  Where can __________ flee from Your presence?

                  If __________ goes up to the heavens, You are there;

                  If __________ makes her/his bed in the depths, You are there.

                  If __________ rises on the wings of the dawn,

                  If __________ settles on the far side of the sea,

                  Even there Your hand will hold __________ fast.

                  If __________ says, “Surely the darkness will hide me

                  And the light become night around me,”

                  Even the darkness will not be dark to You;

                  The night will shine like the day,

                  For darkness is as light to You.

                  For You created __________’s inmost being;

                  You knit __________ together in her mother’s/my womb.

                  I praise You because __________ is fearfully and wonderfully made;

                  Your works are wonderful,

                  I know that full well.

                  __________’s frame was not hidden from You

                  when __________ was made in the secret place,

                  when __________ was woven together in the depths of the earth.

                  Your eyes saw __________’s unformed body;

                  All the days ordained for __________ were written in Your book

                  Before one of them came to be.

                  How precious to me are Your thoughts, God!

                  How vast is the sum of them!

                  Were I to count them,

                  They would outnumber the grains of sand –

                  When I awake, I am still with You.

                  [Note:  I always pray this next part in a spirit of binding the enemy.  The New Testament                   is clear:  We have an enemy.  Our enemy is not flesh and blood.  He is a liar, and has set                   a target on our children’s backs.  But Christ has won.  The victory is ours.  And theirs.]

                  If only You, God, would slay the wicked!

                  Away from us, you who are bloodthirsty!

                  They speak of You with evil intent;

                  Your adversaries misuse Your name.

                  Do I not hate those who hate You, LORD,

                  And abhor those who are in rebellion against You?

                  I have nothing but hatred for them;

                  I count them my enemies.

                  Search me, God, and know my heart;

                  Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

                  See if there is any offensive way in me,

                  And lead me in the way everlasting.

Amen.

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^[1] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ps 139:1–6). Peabody: Hendrickson.