The words of the prayer have echoed through my heart for decades now, lifted to Heaven by my Mother. Her prayer was based upon some of the same Scriptures that my dear friend, Anna Smit has offered through her study of the life of Simon Peter. When Anna asked me several weeks ago if I would join her in an interview for her podcast series, to share about this verse and prayers, I knew the answer given from the Lord would be yes.
But I didn’t know how the Lord would remind me again that HIS intercessions for us go so deeply, through the decades, even through eternity. I cried as I found my Mother’s poem, written in 1978 while I was dating the man who is my husband now. He was in a deep struggle, and God had called her to pray:
I Have Prayed For Thee
Even before you go thru the waters deep;
Even before the valleys you see,
Long before the harvest is ready to reap;
Satan cannot have you, the sifting is delayed.
My Lord has already prayed!
I have prayed for thee--
He goes before us -
He walks along -
Hand in hand -
nothing can go wrong, as we keep close beside
The Master, each day, and close abide.
--"My thoughts, 2:30 PM May 11, 1978, Mom Doris"
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32 NIV
Our Lord has prayed for us. What an incredible thought! But even more incredible is this:
He asks us to join WITH Him, in those prayers for others.
He asks us to wait WITH Him as we persevere in those prayers.
He asks us to wait WITH Him as He brings those prayers to fullness.
Please join me over at Anna’s site, SpeakFaithfulness, to listen to her podcast as we shared together this week about God’s beautiful joining in prayer. Click here to listen.
I am linking this week with: #LMMLinkup, #TellHisStory, #GraceandTruth #LegacyLinkup
BettieGsRAseasons 
So thankful to God for you and also for the opportunity that opened up for us to gather over the internet for this. It was such a gift to me and I pray it is to each person who visits also. More and more healing just keeps coming. Praise Him!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Anna, I am so very thankful for you too. And God was so good to help us to share together at your podcast–it blessed me so much too! He keeps taking His healing deeper, and He continues to show us more of His love! Praise Jesus! Love you so much dear friend! xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Im very glad to read your writings Bettie..Just few minutes before I thought of you and now God made me to read this too…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, Athira, I’m so thankful that God put me on your heart. What a sweet blessing to share in His love! It is some of that weaving that we shared about today. God’s connections are so precious. Blessings and love to you today!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my goodness, that was so neat reading your mother’s thoughts, it brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for sharing Bettie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Wendi,
Yes, I am so grateful to have my Mother’s words, but even more to have her prayers! We just never know how much our prayers will be woven together with each other. I am so thankful for all of your prayers too, Wendi! May Jesus bless you as you pray for so many also, dear friend! Love & Hugs, xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! Her prayers must be treasures that you hold dear to your heart.
It is a pleasure to pray for you and yours Bettie. How is your husband doing?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Dear friend! He is still careful with His knee and ankle, but God is helping him to keep going, even thru the days when he must shovel!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for letting me know, I’ll keep praying for him too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! And I am praying for you too this week, Dear Wendi. ❤🙏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you SO VERY much Bettie! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love your mom’s prayer, Bettie. The part that especially touches my heart and encourages me is that Satan can never have us, because our Lord has already prayed. Thank you for sharing this, my friend. Love and blessings to you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Trudy,
Yes, isn’t that thought such a sweet promise for us, and for those we love? Jesus has already prayed. May we cling to Him as He leads us to pray. His arms are so secure for us. I am so grateful for all of your encouragement, love and prayers too, my dear friend! Your sharing of the poem by Helen Steiner Rice on your blog was such a gift of God’s grace for me. Jesus used it to cause me to look for my Mom’s book again, not knowing how it would fit in with Anna’s sharing right now too! Only God could bring such precious weaving there too! Love and hugs to you. xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
How wonderful to know He loves us. We are special because we are His. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen! We only get a glimpse of that love, but even that glimpse is such a blessing! May the Lord be so close to you this week, Melissa. Love & Hugs! xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh what a marvellous prayer your mother wrote, prayed and shared! Her heart for your soon-to-be-husband and his spiritual state is clearly evident. It hints at the numerous faithful prayers that must have been offered for you and your family over her lifetime. What a gift for her to have written it down so you could read it later on! It’s also such an encouragement to be reminded of our Lord going ahead of us and praying for us in advance. I love how your mom’s caring heart for others, and her gift of compassionate prayerfulness, has been given to you too. As you go deeper into the meaningful, glorious “WITH Him” aspects of life with God, may you also rejoice in her “with you” legacy of prayer and love. Blessings, love and hugs! xoxo ❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Joy,
Thank you so much for your precious insights into my mother’s heart and compassionate prayers! So often in her later years especially, that heart was hidden by her deep anxieties. But it’s so true that her prayers continued through the years, even then! Jesus is not hindered by our weaknesses, even though the outward person might not show the depth of the beauty inside that Jesus is bringing. You have blessed me so much with your thoughts here, today, dear sister, and have brought me to tears as I see even deeper into the Lord’s precious working in my Mom’s and my own life. Oh, truly He is WITH us so deeply. May the Lord bless your dear and compassionate heart also, my sweet friend. Love and hugs across the sea! xoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
Knowing that Jesus intercedes on our behalf is HUGE. Thanks for reminding me of that today, Bettie. I need it today!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Lisa, I am so grateful that He knows just when to bring His Word into our hearts. He is such a faithful High Priest for us! Thank you for your sweet comments that always bring me such encouragement in the Lord too. Blessings and love to you!
LikeLike
Yes … join WITH HIM. Wonderful. I’m looking forward to the podcast
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so thankful that He calls us to join with Him! Blessings and love to you today, Dear Lisa!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bettie! I love hearing your voice! Thank you for sharing the podcast! This is great!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, Lisa, I am so glad you were encouraged as you were listening! Won’t Heaven be so beautiful, when we can hear and see and talk with each other in person, in spirit! Love you Dear Sister!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It will be amazing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Bettie, thank you so much for sharing the poem your mother wrote. It is amazing how God gifted you both in this way. I felt like I stepped into another time when reading her words, a time when things were more simple and faith was stronger. What a legacy she left for you, sister. Do you have another infusion scheduled yet?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Julie, yes, the Lord surely has brought such a legacy through those prayers! He weaves our lives into His purposes in such beautiful streams. And thank you so much for the gift of your prayers too! I actually have an osteoporosis infusion tomorrow. Thank God for His blessings thru prayer! Love to you my dear friend! ❤❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Warms my heart, Bettie. Thank you for showing again how being a prayer warrior is so important to our Christian walk while here.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dear Lynn,
Yes, those prayers from ones who have gone on before us are so warming and comforting! Our prayers matter so much more than we realize. Blessings to you!
LikeLike
Such a beautiful prayer Bettie! How blessed you have been to have a mother who prayed, believed in His promises & had a heart for the Lord!
Bless you,
Jennifer
LikeLike
Your mother’s poem was so beautiful, sweet friend! It reminded me so much of my favorite devotional, “Streams in the Desert.” What a comfort it is to know that Jesus has prayed for us and that He continues to intercede on our behalf. Much love and many blessings to you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Cheryl,
Oh I love that devotional, “Streams in the Desert,” also. It points us to Jesus so beautifully! I am so grateful that we have had Mothers who prayed for us through the years. What precious gifts we have both been given! Much love & blessings to you also, dear friend!
LikeLike
Your mom’s prayer is so beautiful. How good of God to not only remind you of this poem but the verses that Anna was calling you to reflect and speak on. Your words about joining with God are so affirming. There is no need to do something “for” God because His desire is to walk WITH Him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Mary,
Amen, our Lord’s desire for us is “to walk WITH Him.” I’m so grateful that He finds ways to keep reminding us of that. Through all of these seasons, He is so faithful and near to us. Thank you for your sweet encouragement, dear friend! xo
LikeLiked by 1 person