The Prodigal's Mother

“My children, with whom I am again in labor 

until Christ is formed in you!” (Gal. 4:19). 

“Before the presence of the Lord; lift up your hands to Him

for the life of your little ones”

Lamentations 2:19b

In Jesus’ parable of “the Prodigal Son”, have you ever wondered where the mother was? Was she hidden in the house crying with her stomach in a knot?  Good news mothers of prodigals, God has a better plan!

As a naïve, young mother, I sincerely believed that, if our 3 children were loved, disciplined, saved by Jesus, and taught the Word of God, as teenagers they would be immune from succumbing to the temptations of sins that plague our world.  I was wrong.  As a family, we walked through heart-breaking valleys of destruction; consequences for choosing sin.

While ironing one morning in the bedroom of one of my prodigals, God sent words of hope and instruction via Ron Hutchcraft’s teaching “Taking back what the Enemy Stole” on his daily Christian radio program “A Word with You”.  Mr. Hutchcraft implored listeners to “pray for God’s strategy for fighting back to recover what the enemy has stolen. Declare war…and follow General Jesus into battle to take back what the enemy has stolen (i.e. my child!).”

Some days later while seeking the Lord, He instructed me to begin fasting one meal a day and praying more fervently for one of our children.  Each morning, I sought the Lord and, in His goodness and faithfulness, Jesus led me to Scripture to pray for that child for that day. 

O daughters of the King!  I charge you to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Eph. 6:10)!  Let Jehovah Sabbaoth, our Lord of Hosts, train your hands for war (Ps. 144:1)!  Let us link together our Shields of Faith forming an impenetrable wall to quench the fiery darts of the enemy (Eph. 6:16) while… 

Laboring together in prayer until Christ be fully formed in our prodigals!

Obeying the orders of our Mighty God!

Believing Him who is able!

Persevering with confidence and hope in our God!

Embracing God’s ways, which are higher than ours ways!

 Expecting the well-being of our children to be great!

Glorifying Jesus who is worthy!

Years have passed and that prayer journal now contains well over 100 pages of Scripture prayers sown into the very souls of my children.  I am richly blessed to have witnessed our Savior Jesus Christ redeem lives from the pit and continue, even today, to set them back upon Himself, the Rock of our salvation!

(Related older post: “Wait for the Lord”)

Posted in: Divine Lines,Jill,Parenting,Relationships,The Word of God