To show surpassing power

There is a little girl in my life who loves the Lord. Where does this come from? No one in her household believes in God, and we know that children of a tender age normally imbibe their parents' beliefs. She is a flower growing in the desert.

Her mother, after some vocal consternation, seems to have changed her approach. She will bide her time and wait this out, reasoning that her daughter's ardor is a phase of some kind that will die on its own for lack of oxygen. In this, the mom displays an echo of ancient wisdom:

". . . keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail, but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!" (Acts 5:38-39)

And so I have been praying more than ever that this young one's faith will not fail, nor diminish by a whit, but prove lasting. I am praying that it will survive all the commonplace onslaughts known to man: discouragement, propaganda, moods, boredom, lack of nurturing, and especially time.

The basis of my prayer is firm. I do not ask from impure motives but from the strong position of God's stated will and His glory. God is always interested to . . .

". . . show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7).

This is the way I have spoken to God:

"Father, N's mother thinks her faith is a psychological phenomenon, and that it will pass like a taste for gummy bears. Be glorious! Do not let her ascribe to natural forces that which is supernatural. Guard that child's faith, to show your surpassing power, to make it clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is of You."

Who knows? Maybe her mother will see and believe and be saved.