Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle'sHere is our Comprehensive Health Care and Management Plan with full benefits—and what a package! Moms and dads want to provide so many things for their children, but sometimes they just can't do it all. But God can! He can supply their need of salvation, ongoing forgiveness, health, protection from harm, and all the other good things they need.
(Ps. 103:1-5).
If you are a single parent, trust God to make up the difference for you. I have prayed with many single parents who face feelings of inadequacy. They fear they cannot provide what two parents could. God will make up the difference, however, as you confess these blessings. He will be the other parent for you. He will help you as a parent and will reveal His nature as a loving Father to your children Himself.
Psalm 103:1-5 contains some key points I want to look at individually:
1. Bless the Lord
Start and end your confessions by blessing the Lord. You don't have to nag God about your children—or whine about them! God works through His Word, so bless Him confidently, knowing your confessions are working in your children's lives. Instead of whining or nagging, rest in the Lord and give Him the voice of rejoicing.
2. Forgiveness
If God can forgive all of your children's sins, so can you. Don't bring up old mistakes when dealing with new ones. Let sins drop after the discipline and instruction period have passed. Deal with them in a loving, forgiving attitude, not a hostile "I'm still mad at you" attitude. Start each day new, as God's mercies do, and give your children a happy, forgiven send-off into their day.
Confessing and releasing God's forgiveness over your children frees them of past sins and mistakes. It decreases the power of sin, minimizes its wages, and maintains unity in your home. Jesus told his disciples that those whose sins they forgave were forgiven (See John 20:23).
3. Healing
Why suffer through anguishing childhood diseases, missed school, poor health, and physical weakness in your children? The Word of God clearly promises that the stripes of Jesus paid the price for our healing (See 1 Peter 2:24).
Attack sickness and don't let it rob your children of the abundant life God has planned for them. Confess, "Father, I bless and praise You that allergies have to get out of my children. In Jesus' Name, my children are not tormented through their childhood with disease. Their bodies are strong and able in Your service, for you heal every one of our diseases" (See Psalm 103:3).
4. Redemption from Destruction
Many children in our society face problems and situations that try to rob them of the peace and security they have in Jesus. They may live in a broken home or with an abusive parent. Some children I minister to bear the pain of such broken or abusive lifestyles.
If you and your children are coming out of such destruction, you will see God redeem the lives of your children as you confess Psalm 103:1-5. These verses can be very helpful to parents, but especially single parents, who suffer guilt over the harm their past decisions may have brought to their children. Any parent in any situation can put the past behind them and believe the promise of God to bring the sparkle back into their children's eyes.
5. Satisfying Their Mouths With Good Things
Childhood and adolescent years should be enjoyed, filled with many happy memories and successes. Sometimes parents face hard times financially and are unable to provide all they want for their children.
As I shared earlier, God can provide what you cannot. As you pray this promise over your child, you are declaring that God is satisfying their mouth with good things, so that their youthfulness is renewed, not robbed through hard times and financial lack.
The pressures of job and family will come soon enough in adulthood, so believe God will satisfy your child with good things, giving him the desires of his heart. God's children should be the ones in school who are promoted and elevated into good positions, where they can be even brighter witnesses for Him. Childhood and teen years should be filled with many successes!
Furthermore, during tough times we should believe and confess God's Word, teaching our children by our example. Seeing God's Word in action in our lives shows our children that they can rely on God's promises. Then, as Psalm 103:5 promises, He will satisfy us with good things and give us the desires of our hearts.
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19).
There are times when you need to get out from under the pressure of having to provide everything and allow your children the opportunity to use their faith too. Then they will also say "my God supplied my need, not my mom and dad." By confessing this scripture over your children, you also can get a jump on those times when your children's needs exceed your budget— like when they need braces or a car.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers