As a mother, how do you pray for your children?  By asking this question, I am assuming that you do pray for your children. I do not have the privilege of praying for more than one birth child as so many mothers do, but that doesn’t stop me from praying for that one and only son that God entrusted to me and my husband.  My prayer time for our son is literally a spiritual battle between the voice of Satan who accuses me of all the things I did or didn’t do in raising my child and the words of God that I claim from the scriptures and His still small voice in my Spirit.

The Lord reminded me of the legacy my son has with at least three godly great-grandmothers and two godly grandmothers. I too want to leave that same kind of legacy. As I was reading the beginning of Paul’s second letter to the young pastor Timothy, the fifth verse stuck a familiar chord. It says,

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”

Why would Paul include this in his letter?  And why would God make sure it was included in His inspired word?  I believe Paul said these words to encourage Timothy who was no doubt leading the church in Ephesus during very difficult times for believers.  We can only guess as to why God would include this little family history in His Word that would survive generations. This is what I love about God’s word, every bit of it is “useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). So thousands of years after Paul encouraged Timothy, these “God-breathed” words are still encouraging me.

Who was it that led Timothy to the Lord?  Was it his father? (Acts 16:1) No, it was his own mother and grandmother who demonstrated Jesus’ love to him daily, taught him the scriptures, and lived out their sincere faith.  I believe God placed these words in his divine love letter for all the believing mothers who pray daily for their children to grow up loving and serving the Lord Jesus Christ with their whole heart, soul, mind and strength.  Many mothers today long to hear someone say about their child(ren) that they are “reminded of their sincere faith.” I am one of those mothers! Although my son, knows the truth and has accepted Jesus as his Savior, I still pray daily for him to take his next step and let Jesus be the Lord of his life, demonstrating his own “sincere faith.”

So here’s a question for all believing and praying mothers out there. How would you fill in the blank?

My child has _____________faith.

Would you truly be able to say “sincere faith?”

Or would it be more like:

“insurance” faith

“get me out of jail” faith

“I’ll come to you only when I need you” faith

“Sunday morning only” faith

“I’ve got this for now” faith

“Christmas and Easter” faith

“no faith”

The list could go on and on for whatever situation our children are in at the moment and I am not putting it out there to discourage you, only to give you ammunition for the battle when you pray. DO NOT let Satan convince you that this is the only type of faith your child(ren) will ever have if it’s not truly sincere faith.

Could someone describe your child with sincere faith like his/her mother? Your faith may be the very catalyst that God will use to draw your child(ren) to Him. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,’ and it will move” (Matthew 17:20). He also told the father of the demon possessed boy that “Everything is possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). Even when the Satanic darts of doubt is aimed at your heart, cry out to Jesus like this father did, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

Then claim the words God gave to Paul when writing to the Philippian believers, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in (your child’s name) will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

Nothing is too hard for God!!