Identity: The Shield Around Her Heart

Identity: The Shield Around Her Heart

By Rebecca Meidinger

www.rebeccameidinger.com

The first time I heard my baby girl’s heartbeat was a symphony unlike anything on earth; it’s embedded forever in the heart of every mother. We’ll never forget holding our newborns tightly to our chest, refusing to lay them in their cribs, just for a “few more minutes” of feeling their heartbeat next to ours. We recall the first time our child’s heart broke over a lost friend or a broken toy. We can still see the confusion in our child’s eyes the first time that our own words and voices caused that precious heart to ache. Happy tears swell in our eyes each time we see our child’s heart leap for joy over a new friend or a goal achieved. A mother’s heart is intrinsically tied to the heart of her child.

So as we send our children off to school, amidst all the excitement and newness, there’s a bit of each Mom that fears heartache for her child. Right? No matter the age, we know that inevitably, our child will in some way soon be wounded…teased, made fun of, or left alone at the lunch table. Perhaps our child will cave to a temptation that will, in the long run, only lead to heartache. We fear that our child will, for whatever reason, be left doubting himself – his strength, intelligence, faith, wit, integrity – his identity.

 And in that, we fear for our child’s heart. And, well we should. Scripture beseeches us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the well-spring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23). It is from the heart that our essence, who we really are, flows. When the heart is crushed, the spirit is crushed. When the heart is ignored, the spirit is ignored. Of course we must guard it vigilantly. But there’s a problem here… my child, who is walking into a school building with 500 of her closest peers tomorrow, can’t guard her own heart; she is young, and so is her prefrontal cortex.  She doesn’t have the maturity yet to guard her own heart, and I cannot send her off to school with an unguarded heart. Scripture gives us a grave warning: “your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Of course he’ll aim for the unguarded hearts of our children…he always does.

The choice is clear. I must pray that Jesus would guard her heart. I cannot go with her to school each day, but Jesus does. My job is to build a shield for her heart.  And that shield is her identity in Christ. When a child knows and claims her true identity as a child of God, that constant, unchanging truth creates a protective shield over her heart…like a tapestry of truth woven together:

You are loved. You are created in the image of God. You were created on purpose for a purpose. You are made whole in Christ. You are forgiven. You are redeemed. You are a treasure. You are a mighty warrior. You are far above rubies. You have been set free. You are holy. You are righteous. You are an ambassador for Christ. This earth is not your home.

And this shield, coming straight from the Word of God, is living and active. So when flaming arrows of the enemy come blazing – you’re stupid; you’re a loser; you’re ugly; you’re fat; you’re nothing and no one – these hateful lies fizzle and fade as they hit the impenetrable true shield that guards her heart.

Now #MomArmy15, let’s pray like our kid’s lives depend on it! You may use the scripture prayer below and insert your child’s name when you see a blank. Or feel free to use other scriptures God has placed on your heart. We would love it if you typed at least one sentence of your prayer in the comments section or left a comment that shares your heart with us. We love you!

Dear Jesus, thank you that ______ is created in your image (Genesis 1:26-27). Thank you that he/she is loved, honored, precious in your sight, and that you call ______ by name (Isaiah 43:1-3). Jesus, I can’t go to school with my child tomorrow, but You are going. Thank you for guarding my child’s heart. Thank you for being a shield. Jesus, You are the Lord, a Warrior (Exodus 15:3), and weapons might be thrown at my child’s heart all day tomorrow. Jesus, Your Word is a shield. Your truth is armor in the battle (Ephesians 6:10-17). Please give _____strength to stand firm and unwavering when flaming arrows come his/her way. Jesus, please speak to ­­­­­_______about her true identity all day at school. Remind her and renew her. Remind ­­­______ that she/he is:

·         Free in Christ (Romans 8:1)

·         Whole in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

·         Righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21)

·         A new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

·         A masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10)

Thank you for guarding her heart, the wellspring of her life, Jesus. Amen. 

This post is part of a blog series hosted by Anna Frye, founder of Chosen And Crowned Ministries. Anna's heart, along with the 12 other mom writers in this series, is to raise up a growing army of moms (#MomArmy15) who Pray Like Their Kids Lives Depend On It. This series runs from Sept. 7-Oct. 2. Join the Mom Army and invite your friends at www.ChosenAndCrowned.com/blog.