The
Gift of the Prodigal Child
This is the second of three posts about God’s
plan for Motherhood. See Reflections on Motherhood Part 1 http://heartjourneydebbie.blogspot.com/
·
“Mother means selfless devotion, limitless
sacrifice, and love that passes understanding.”
Previously, I stated that Motherhood is a
gift from the Father in which we GET to participate with Him in the creation of
life. It comes with tremendous responsibilities, of which, being an imitator of
Christ in all aspects of parenting has the most eternal effect on our children.
It is very easy to discuss the virtues and blessings of Motherhood. However, an
often neglected issue, especially in the church, is what to think and do when a
child decides to live life in a way that is not honoring to the Lord. That is
what I call the elephant in the room.
That elephant is the Prodigal Child. And some of you
reading this are mothers of prodigals. I speak to you from a heart full of empathy.
And I want you to know that Romans 8:28 still
applies:
·
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good
of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.
I
am asking you to stretch your mind and your heart to the idea that a prodigal child is also a gift from the Father.
No
one wants this kind of gift. In fact, it is the kind that feels like a slap in
the face, that causes us to ask “Why?” “Why us, our family? I know I haven’t
been a perfect mom, but I’ve tried, I’ve taken my children to church; I’ve
modeled Christ-like behavior and attitudes; I taught my children to pray and
take their needs to Jesus; I even led my children to know the Lord!”
Then
our pride takes over, “I am embarrassed, ashamed and feel guilty about the
choices my son or daughter has made!” “I sure don’t need to be a leader at
church or teach SS; no telling what people are saying about us behind our
backs.”
Then
the enemy whispers, “I guess your relationship with the Lord isn’t what you
thought it was or this wouldn’t have happened.” And you feel that God has let you down!
I
think I have said enough to paint the picture of what can happen and many times
does happen when a believer’s child decides to rebel against the family values
you’ve instilled and against the Lord. That’s when feelings
of anger, bitterness, and rejection are primed to take root in our hearts if we
are not on guard.
As
I stated, you may be one of those moms, or you know moms to whom this has
happened. And you may know moms who are no longer involved in church or Bible
study because they have a prodigal.
First, let me say this with utmost conviction: Shame on the church who shuns the family of a prodigal and or
the prodigal. And shame on any believer
who is a Pharisee in sheep’s clothing and doesn’t love on and pray for that
family and their child. How will that person who is enslaved in Satan’s chains
ever get free if those that are supposed to love him, pray for him, treat him
like Jesus would treat him, turns their back and treats him like a leper?
That’s
not being imitators of Christ. So how would Christ treat the elephant in the room? We have only
to look to the passage in John 4 where Jesus met the women at the well.
You
know the story:
·
It was
the middle of a hot day at Jacob’s well, which was in Samaria. Jews didn’t like
to go through Samaria, but Jesus did. The disciples had gone into town to get
food and left Jesus alone at the well.
·
A
woman came to the well at this odd time – probably to avoid the gossip and
looks of the other women who came at the normal times. She was an outcast –
especially by the religious!
·
Jesus
asks her for a drink. She asks why He is asking her….she’s a Samaritan and a
woman.
·
Jesus tells
her that if she knew who He was she would be asking Him for living water which
will spring up to eternal life.
·
She
asks for that water and Jesus tells her to call for her husband. She had to
admit she had no husband. But Jesus already knew that. Then He tells her about
herself. She had been married five times and was living with another man at the
time.
·
She is
amazed by Him and believes in Him. She is so excited that she drops her water
pot and runs into town to tell others. She brings dozens back with her to meet
Jesus.
·
She was
a prodigal, living a sinful lifestyle, but Jesus
sought her out! He offered her salvation and love and acceptance. And it
changed her life!
·
He
accepted her – not her sin.
That’s how moms of prodigals and the
church, individually and corporately, should treat our wayward ones. Loving on
and embracing the person, but not the sin.
Unfortunately, we do not always do a good job at this.
Now,
Mom, what do you do when you are
struggling with those feelings of defeat, guilt, anger, bitterness, shame?
How do you respond to your child that has strayed?
The
Bible gives us instruction in the parable of the Prodigal Son. Luke 15:11-32
Do what the father did. Again, you know this familiar story.
·
The
younger son was rebellious and asked for his inheritance, which the father gave
him. REBELLION
·
He
left home to live life his way.
·
He
squandered his money – probably on high living and prostitutes.
·
Completely
broke and homeless, he hired himself out to a farmer who put him to work
feeding the pigs (that’s irony for a Jew!)
·
He
realized that his father’s servants were better fed and taken care of than he,
so he decided to return home and ask forgiveness and ask to be one of the hired
hands. (REPENTENCE)
·
The
father sees him coming and runs to embrace him. (RESTORATION)
o
The
father had been watching
and waiting for the son to return.
o
As a
devout Jew, he had
been faithfully praying for this son
to be restored.
o
He felt compassion for the son and began running to meet him.
o
He
didn’t even let the son finish asking for forgiveness.
o
He celebrated the son and his return.
o
He
didn’t ask questions or give a lecture that he had come to his senses!
o
He accepted his son
and didn’t hold anything against him.
Obviously,
this is a picture of man’s separation from God and God’s forgiveness and mercy
when he turns his life over to the Father. We are to be imitators.
If your prodigal has returned, bless you! God has answered prayers and
worked His power. Celebrate his return and hold no grudges, no “if only’s”,
show the grace and mercy demonstrated by this father.
If your prodigal has not
returned, bless you! God IS working to restore him, to bring him
to his senses. Do as this father did – watch and wait patiently, never
neglecting to pray with thanksgiving for that celebration day that is to come. Do NOT let anger,
pride, shame, guilt or bitterness take root in your heart. Those
attitudes will rob you of your joy, and your eyesight will be clouded – you may
miss the opportunity to celebrate your child.
So, why is having a prodigal a gift? It is a gift that, if you’ll let it, will
help make you more like Jesus.
James 1:2-4 – When troubles of
any kind come your way, consider it a sheer gift, an opportunity for great joy.
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to
grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be
perfect and complete, needing nothing.
God will use everything in your life,
from the joys to the storms, to help mold you into the woman of God He purposed
you to be. That includes
wayward children and the choices they make. Whenever I focus on poor choices my
children make, I see nor feel any joy. But when I focus on what God wants to do
in my life through those choices, I can get excited! And when I pray with
thanksgiving for my children, I can focus on the grand celebration that is going
to take place when they allow God to have first place in their lives once again.
We
looked at Motherhood as God’s gift to us. But Motherhood is also our greatest
gift we can give our children. More on that next time.
