I’ve heard the story of the prodigal son my whole life. Countless pastors, Sunday school teachers, etc. have told this story to me. The focus is almost always on the son. But today I want to focus on the father.
The father willingly gave his son an early inheritance. Then without argument allowed that son to walk away and squander what was given. Are you listening?
He didn’t argue with the son. He didn’t tell him about every bad thing that could happen as a result of his decision. He also didn’t stomp and scream and say, “Why are you doing this to me?!” There wasn’t any manipulation. There wasn’t any coercing. Just a willingness to allow God to move in it all.
The single greatest issue that I have observed in parenting, whether from myself or others, is us getting in the way of what Holy Spirit is trying to do.
We are each a story. God wrote this story before each of us was even born. He knew us before we existed. This tells me that if I want to see His glory revealed in my life and in the lives around me, then I need to stay out of the way. The more I intervene, the more I slap Holy Spirit’s hand away. I won’t do that.
I am currently working on creating a new class on motherhood, and it has provoked so much honesty about how I mother, but also a great deal of awe at the way God works. I see now that so many parents parent with themselves in mind, first and foremost. How will this affect me? What will others think of me?
What a disservice this is to our children.
When we rear our children shouldn’t our thought be, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”?
I believe it should.
Chris and I have grown to a place of realizing that as we surrender to God in our own lives, in our marriage and with our kids…we can trust things to work together. We can trust the process.
Do you?
Do you trust the Lord enough to allow your prodigal to walk away?
We only make things worse and more delayed when we keep making it about us, as parents. It’s always and forever going to be about Jesus winning our children’s hearts. He is able. He is willing. He is faithful. Remember this verse…
Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
We can trust the Lord to bring things around. Now back to the prodigal story…
This story is beautiful because the father was always looking for the son to return. He trusted. He knew.
When the son returned there was only rejoicing. What a beautiful reflection of the way Christ receives us upon salvation. I am in love with the way God reflects Himself in all our earthly relationships and struggles. He truly is magnificent.
“So, he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So, they began to celebrate.” Luke 15:20-24
365 Days in the Presence 