Intercession

I was reading in the prayer book I am S L O W L Y working my way through about intercession, praying for others. I loved what Andrew Murray wrote in describing intercession as part of faith's training school. He writes,

O what a deep heavenly mystery this is of perseverance prayer. The God who promised, who longs, whose fixed purpose it is to give the blessing, holds it back.

He writes of the prayer of a parent for a child as persevering prayer. Which is both encouraging and frustrating at the same time. I am slowly learning that parenting is a very long process. Just as we get one problem behavior or attitude under control another new more annoying or destructive one takes it place. There is rarely a moment when all is well in our household. And I am also learning that my parenting is not going to work. Even the best parenting on my part is going to fail part of the time. My kids are all very different and I get tired, selfish and lazy at times and don't always (at this moment it feels like I rarely) parent well. But it seems in those moments when I feel most like a failure I actually remember to turn to God in prayer. Prayer for patience. Prayer for wisdom. And even prayers that God would work in my child to change him because I cannot take another minute of his (fill in the blank).

I need to work though on praying for my kids on a more regular basis and not just in moments of distress. Though moments of distress lately have been on a daily basis. That could be though because I am doing it backwards. Trying to parent and then when I fail turning to God. I should probably try turning that equation around and seeing how that goes. Though reading what Murray wrote, I am thinking that my kids will still be a challenge, a work in progress. But then so am I.