Encouragement to parents with children or parents were the child has left home.
The prodigal son story in the Bible is typically a favorite among many for the spiritual truth of God's grace, love, and forgiveness being portrayed in the father of the story. The youngest son is like an unbeliever or one who has fallen away. The oldest son is like some in the church who may struggle with jealousy or the concept of grace and forgiveness.
But the story has some very powerful truths related to parenting and how God often brings people to Him.
So many accounts in the Bible portray a refining process. Just for example, Job was broken down before experiencing God in a way like nothing he had ever experienced before, Moses was in exile and the wilderness for 40 years before he encountered God in the burning bush, and the Israelites were also in the wilderness for 40 years before they were ready to enter the promised land. Of course, even Jesus experienced being pressed like the image of an olive in the Garden of Gethsemane, meaning oil press.
The night before Jesus's arrest, which led to His crucifixion, He was praying in an olive tree grove as He felt extremely anguished over what was to come. So much so, Jesus, like the pressing of an olive, began to sweat blood. A very rare medical condition causes by extreme anxiety.
It was during this time that gave Jesus the courage to fulfill His Father's will, which ultimately led to Jesus being positioned at the right hand of God, meaning all authority is given to Him. Let us also remember Mary, the mother of Jesus; it wasn't easy for her to see her son experience the events of Jesus's trial and crucifixion. But it had to take place for Jesus to fulfill His ministry on Earth.
The prodigal son was not like Jesus, but you get the idea of how God allows certain events to press us, to bring us to the point of surrender. It is at that point that the prodigal son decides to return to his father. It was at that point when Moses left the wilderness to speak to Pharaoh. It was at that point when Job had a physical and audible encounter with God. It was at that point when the Israelites trusted God and had the courage to face the giants of the Promised Land.
As kids leave the house, it can bring comfort knowing God has a plan for each person and if we as parents protect them from every failure, every mistake, or the result of sin. Then it will be more complex, not impossible, for them to reach the point of surrender.
(Not to imply that good and wise counsel isn't needed but to highlight it often in times of pressure that humans surrender to God.)
The father in the prodigal son knew his son wasn't living for God and probably even expected his son to waste his inheritance away. But notice he let him go, wished him well, and that was it. No argument, pleading, or manipulation.
The son left with the father's love only to eventually remember that love and return in expectation to be treated like a servant, but instead, he was treated like royalty. The father never ran after the son, but on the son's return, the father, with such joy, runs to the son to embrace him.
If you have prayed for your children, then take comfort that God has heard your prayers, and in His timing and His will, the child is being pressed by the world, which for billions throughout history has brought them to Christ. Like Mary to Jesus, it will not be easy watching our children experience the pressing matters of the world but take heart; it had to take place for God's will to come through His child. Have faith in knowing that God is working within your children, within the world, and desires to bring about His will for every child. The will of God is that all will come to repentance, faith, salvation, and follow Jesus.
The prodigal son story in the Bible is typically a favorite among many for the spiritual truth of God's grace, love, and forgiveness being portrayed in the father of the story. The youngest son is like an unbeliever or one who has fallen away. The oldest son is like some in the church who may struggle with jealousy or the concept of grace and forgiveness.
But the story has some very powerful truths related to parenting and how God often brings people to Him.
So many accounts in the Bible portray a refining process. Just for example, Job was broken down before experiencing God in a way like nothing he had ever experienced before, Moses was in exile and the wilderness for 40 years before he encountered God in the burning bush, and the Israelites were also in the wilderness for 40 years before they were ready to enter the promised land. Of course, even Jesus experienced being pressed like the image of an olive in the Garden of Gethsemane, meaning oil press.
The night before Jesus's arrest, which led to His crucifixion, He was praying in an olive tree grove as He felt extremely anguished over what was to come. So much so, Jesus, like the pressing of an olive, began to sweat blood. A very rare medical condition causes by extreme anxiety.
It was during this time that gave Jesus the courage to fulfill His Father's will, which ultimately led to Jesus being positioned at the right hand of God, meaning all authority is given to Him. Let us also remember Mary, the mother of Jesus; it wasn't easy for her to see her son experience the events of Jesus's trial and crucifixion. But it had to take place for Jesus to fulfill His ministry on Earth.
The prodigal son was not like Jesus, but you get the idea of how God allows certain events to press us, to bring us to the point of surrender. It is at that point that the prodigal son decides to return to his father. It was at that point when Moses left the wilderness to speak to Pharaoh. It was at that point when Job had a physical and audible encounter with God. It was at that point when the Israelites trusted God and had the courage to face the giants of the Promised Land.
As kids leave the house, it can bring comfort knowing God has a plan for each person and if we as parents protect them from every failure, every mistake, or the result of sin. Then it will be more complex, not impossible, for them to reach the point of surrender.
(Not to imply that good and wise counsel isn't needed but to highlight it often in times of pressure that humans surrender to God.)
The father in the prodigal son knew his son wasn't living for God and probably even expected his son to waste his inheritance away. But notice he let him go, wished him well, and that was it. No argument, pleading, or manipulation.
The son left with the father's love only to eventually remember that love and return in expectation to be treated like a servant, but instead, he was treated like royalty. The father never ran after the son, but on the son's return, the father, with such joy, runs to the son to embrace him.
If you have prayed for your children, then take comfort that God has heard your prayers, and in His timing and His will, the child is being pressed by the world, which for billions throughout history has brought them to Christ. Like Mary to Jesus, it will not be easy watching our children experience the pressing matters of the world but take heart; it had to take place for God's will to come through His child. Have faith in knowing that God is working within your children, within the world, and desires to bring about His will for every child. The will of God is that all will come to repentance, faith, salvation, and follow Jesus.
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