One of the most fruitful ministries that I was involved with in Belize was Mom’s in Prayer. Prayer is the secret powerhouse of growing Christians and growing churches. Sadly, Christians so often gravitate towards that which looks impressive in a worldly sense—big campaigns, charismatic individuals, entertainment. But the gospel is actually a gospel of the cross—that Jesus suffered on the cross for our sins, and that he calls us to the same suffering he went through. We long to bypass the pain, suffering and rejection that Jesus went through, and move straight to glory. But God does the greatest work among the weak, the despised and the suffering. It is the Holy Spirit who works to advance God’s kingdom in the world, and He has promised to work through the weak things of the world, and through the means of grace. These means of grace are the Word of God, the sacraments, and prayer. In prayer we recognize our dependence on Him.
“Q. 88. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?
A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation” (Westminster Shorter Catechism, 88).
It is powerful to spend an hour a week lifting up our covenant children to God in prayer—some of our children are struggling, some have weak faith, some have left the faith altogether. But God has given each one of them a mother who cares deeply for them. We mothers will not abandon our children; and when they are too old or independent to sit under our authority or teaching—we still can do them great good by petitioning our Heavenly Father to work on their behalf, bringing them into His kingdom and transforming their lives. The organization, Moms in Prayer (Madres Unidas para Orar in the Spanish-speaking world), follows a beautiful format in its prayer. Each week, we begin with adoration, reading some verses having to do with an attribute of God. Then we move to silently confessing our sins to the good God we have been praising. We next remember the answers to prayers from weeks past in our time of thanksgiving. And then, we take a Bible passage to use in our intercession for our children and the children of the women we are praying with. And finally, we want to remember the children in our community, specifically praying for our local schools.
From a worldly sense, what can be weaker than a small group of moms who are concerned for their child’s well-being? From a spiritual perspective, who is stronger than these women?