For the three weeks I’ve been here in Mozambique,
the girls have accompanied Rachel to the weekly Women’s Bible Study. It is held at the restaurant pavilion on the
Xai Xai beach. The Bible Study group has been working through the book, The
Power of the Praying Parent.
Obviously I am NOT a parent; however, I have really enjoyed the
time. Rachel prints out the prayers at
the end of each chapter along with scripture that supports the prayer and
concept. One of the attending ladies
suggested we read the prayers twice: once with “I/me” in the blank, and once
with “child’s name.” It reinforced the
notion that we can not pray/fix things in others that we haven’t
prayed/resolved in ourselves. Going
through the prayer with myself as the one prayed over, I really felt the power
of the words. It wasn’t just reading
aloud; it was praying to my God for His power, protection, love, grace and
mercy. It made me feel relieved,
refreshed and blessed.
This last week we read about generational bondage. I first
heard about this concept during Beth Moore’s study, Breaking Free. Rachel did an example that reminded me of
VBS. Instead of writing on post-its and
sticking them to the cross, we wrote our “chains” on paper, then burnt it. By
doing so, we watched the flames engulf familial characters we want to
stop. It was a day of releasing burdens;
it was a time of revelation; it was an exercise in trust. This single activity seemed to break the
pretense of the group: prayer request was open, honest, heart felt. Concerns that would have otherwise gone
unsaid, were shared. Tears were
shed. The group crashed through the
barriers that had previously kept the ladies at arms length; they landed right
in each other’s arms. It was awesome to
witness the breakthrough. I know I will
continue to pray for the women of the Xai Xai Bible Study and I feel confident
they will remember me as well.
Speaking of those Generational issues: consider problems,
afflictions, & burdensome loads you see in your family. Can you see these things in your own
character? Do others comment on
resemblance to a family member and you wonder, “do I want to be like them in
this way?” Are their character qualities
in your parents or grandparents that you hope didn’t get passed down? If you’re a parent, what are there ways your
parents acted that you don’t want your own children to experience?
It didn’t take me long to make a mental list of qualities I
LOVE and Admire in my parents and grandparents.
It took a bit longer to think of characteristics I don’t want to
replicate. I did manage to complete the
exercise, even including something not of my parents, but that has happened to my family. When we burned the paper I imagine the scene
from one of my favorite movies.
In Mary
Poppins, the father burns the children’s list of qualities desired for a new
nanny. Instead of permanently erasing
their request, the ashes blow into the wind and are answered practically
perfectly in every way! This is what I
think happens: we give something over the Lord and He receives even those
things we think we’ve solved, forgotten, erased. Then He answers our unspoken prayers with
perfect answers. What a gift we have in
being children of the Most High God!
I’d like to think that sometimes the tape measure says “Sweet Sarah Belle,” but all too soon I am jolted back to reality. Thank goodness for the overwhelming Gracious Love of God.
