In the chapter for Week 2 titled “The Power of a Parent’s Prayers,” Mr Banks talks about what I mentioned earlier this week. He says, “When you’re the parent of a prodigal child, you’re sometimes the recipient of unsolicited advice.” (p23) He discusses the well intentioned, yet dangerous idea someone had offered him about how “kids have to learn from their own mistakes.” (p23) While sometimes this can be true, Mr Banks sought out his daughter and was very glad he did not take that person’s counsel. He shares, “But the day we found our daughter and brought her home (against her will), she had been befriended by another teenage runaway with an adult boyfriend fresh out of jail. They were encouraging her to leave the state with them. Letting her ‘fall flat on her face’ would have been a dangerous thing to do.” (p23) My point in sharing this is that we must be in prayer, and listening for the Holy Spirit’s guidance on what to do for our child and when to do it. The truth is, God loves our children much more than we do. They were His before they were ever ours. So God wants our children home with Him and safely home with us parents too. Part of the challenge of having a prodigal child is learning to trust God with them.
If you are not aware, the Christian life is all about surrendering our lives to God. This includes surrendering our children to Him. Because He loves them, and us, we can trust Him to guide our steps. As we pray, we are connecting with God and sharing our broken and concerned hearts with Him. But that is only half of what praying is all about. We must also spend time listening for God’s response to our prayers. Sometimes He will put an image in our minds of what to do, or move us to call someone who can help, or even, fill us with peace that now is not the right time to do anything at all, trusting that God is working in the child’s life. Whatever it is, prayer is always meant to be a dialogue. That means we speak, but God also desires to speak to our hearts in some way too. So as you read this book and pray these prayers, please make the time to sit quietly with God and receive whatever it is He desires to share with you too. Listening to other Christians who can support and pray for you is wonderful, but we must make sure we are not neglecting going right to God with all our concerns and listening for His guidance and peace.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
July: Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey
August: Summer’s Soul Restorer “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23” by W Phillip Keller
September: Covering Our Children: “Prayers for the Prodigals” by James Banks
<>< Peace, Diane
