1 Peter 2:24

1 Peter 2:24
and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

There are a lot of things that people do for us that we take for granted.  I think about my young children who are taken care of by their parents.  They don't wonder where dinner is going to come from, they expect to see it on the table.  They don't worry about having clothes to wear, they simply go in their drawers and get them.  They don't have to worry about a warm home in winter or a cool house in summer.  They don't worry about who is going to love them, they know they can find a mommy or a daddy and get a big hug and kiss whenever they want.

It is sometimes easy to see what people around you do for you in a physical sense.  When I had my fourth child there were plenty of people who brought us gifts and made meals for us.  My parents took the children for the weekend.  I had nurses helping me to heal and making sure my new infant was healthy.  But do we always see what people are doing for us?  Is it really what people do for us that is most important?

What about the great grandmother you talk to twice a year but who prays for you every night?  What about the spouse who offers up their work in a prayer to God for you?  What about the godparent who prays a rosary for you?  What about the patron at church who lights a candle for you?  There are people doing things for us all of the time, without us even knowing, and it will affect us more than the physical things they may offer to do.

I am glad that my children appreciate all of the physical things that I do for them, it actually doesn't really bother me if they take it for granted either, but they will never know how I am spiritually taking care of them as well.  And that's ok!  I don't do it because I want them to know really, I do it because I want to take care of them, I love them.  I don't need them to acknowledge or say thank you.  I pray for my children daily, throughout the day, for things they may need help with now or things they may encounter in the future.  We can never really know who is praying for us but I truly believe in the power of prayer.  I don't believe prayer can change the future God has already planned for us, but I believe it can help us in our time of need. 

Prayer is powerful.  Praying for God to bear our cross for us is powerful.  The other night, I felt stressed and anxious.  My stress physically affects me and I needed help.  I had just read about the power of the rosary so I chose to pray to Mary and offered my praying of the rosary up for the specific fears and worries I was struggling with that day.  I closed my eyes as I prayed, fingered the beads, and concentrated on giving my worries up to Mary.  When I was done, I felt lighter, my headache was gone and I could feel the happiness begin to warm my body.  Prayer is powerful.  If you don't believe me, find a quiet time to pray, pray the rosary, or just have a conversation with God.

Jesus offered himself up to God for our sins and even though we can't physically see what He has done for us, He has given us the greatest gift we could receive.  Himself.  He has given us the possibility of eternal life.  I try to do a lot for the people around me, but more than anything, I choose to pray for them, I know this will help them more than one can conceive.  Please God, help me pray to You often and earnestly.  Help me to pray for those who need it most.  Thank You for the gift of Your Son and the sacrifice He made for us.

Thanks for reading!

Busy Mommy Blogger