Like all mothers, I have needed to draw heavily on that God-given reserve of love for patience, wisdom, and endurance for that trek. But even child rearing is a stroll-in-the-park compared to the hand-to-hand combat with Satan for the souls of each of our children.
At times I have felt like I was trailing the Good Shepherd through the darkness, edging sheer cliffs, fighting wolves, as we searched for this lost lamb.
Yet, like the persistent mother Jesus encountered (Matthew 15, Mark 7), I had just enough stubborn faith to keep begging God to help and heal.
The story of the persistent mother is a tragic comedy with a happy ending. In the story, Jesus is visiting Tyre on the seacoast. The Scriptures don’t say what He is doing there—resting, preaching, shopping—but a mother attaches herself to Him, begging for mercy for her demon-possessed child and refuses to leave His side. The disciples are peeved. They don’t care about the suffering of the child or the mother. They want peace and quiet!
Here is just one of the heartbreaks experienced by the parents of wayward children: Not only are their children at risk, their Christian friends may not be very supportive. They may not know what to say or be full of those irritating 'nice and smiley' answers. Fortunately, Jesus never tired of our neediness. Nor did He tire of the pleading of the relentless mother.
The comedy portion takes place in the clever, almost playful repartee between Jesus and the persistent mother. He says (paraphrase), “I can’t help you. I’m sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
“Help me anyway,” the mother begs.
“It’s not right to take the children’s meat and give it to the dogs.”
“True. But even dogs gets crumbs.”
At this point, you can almost here Jesus laugh with delight at her stubborn confidence in His goodness and grace. “You have great faith! Your daughter is healed!”
And joy of joys, she was!
Regardless of the attitude of the disciples, prevailing religious snobbery, or any discouragement, the mother trusted and doggedly pursued the compassionate heart of Jesus. Every despairing parent can, too.
All I know to do: Pray the prayer every mother must pray for her child whether that child is prodigal or not: “By the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, bring every thought and imagination of my child’s mind, every emotion of his heart, every deed of his hands, and every step that he takes under Your Lordship. Lead him to love You with all of his heart, mind, and soul, and his neighbor as himself.”
I pray in confidence now rather than out of desperation and fear. Like the persistent mother, I have laid him at Jesus’ feet. His love is healing him. Jesus wants my child to be well, too.
I pray the prayer of the persistent mother with many mothers and grandmothers who are struggling to bring their children to mental and spiritual health in a world where Satan actively seeks to destroy them. And until we receive what we seek, we will stay on our knees pleading for the healing of our children’s souls believing in the powerful love of Jesus whose crumbs heal.
Ministry Tips to Help Parents of Prodigals (POPs)
By Rebekah Montgomery
Acknowledge that prodigals happen despite the best efforts of parents. After all, God had two perfect children in a perfect world and was the perfect Parent but wound up with two prodigals.
Pray God’s protection over the children of POPs. The terror of every POPs is that their children will not only miss out on the peace and joy of knowing Christ now, but also eternally live separated from Him.
Encourage POPs to let the Holy Spirit do His work and for them to cultivate a joyous relationship with their children. It is tempting for many POPs to focus only on the state of their children’s eternal souls and drive them further away from God.
Pray that God will give POPs special wisdom and sensitivity to their children’s needs. The parent-child bond needs to be strengthened regardless of the state of the child’s soul. As it is strengthened, the child is drawn away from his rebellion against the Lord.
