“So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, ‘It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ Thus Job did regularly.” Job 1:5

Pray Them In

Walk His Way Revisited

First posted in December, 2014

What is it about festivities that often leads people to make choices they wouldn’t otherwise make? This is nothing new. It was the same in Job’s day. Parties sometimes seem to bring out the worst in us.

Job had seven sons and three daughters who partied and feasted together regularly in each other’s home when they were adults. Job still took his parenting role seriously. He didn’t know what they might have done at the feasts, so he held them up before the Lord for forgiveness. We aren’t told that they were making poor choices, only that Job feared they might have, and he wanted to leave nothing to chance.

This speaks volumes to me, for I, too, have grown children who may be living in sin, may be cursing God in their hearts. I know that my children must decide for themselves about Christ. I know that my beliefs won’t save my children. I know that taking them to church won’t guarantee their salvation. Many of you, like me, know the particular agony of watching a beloved son or daughter reject faith in Christ that you so carefully and prayerfully modeled and taught.

Once our kids are adults, there are only a few things we can do, perhaps leaving us feeling a bit helpless—yet we can be ready to continue sharing our faith; we can love and accept them; and we can keep relationships open and nonjudgmental. We can pray.

Job lived in the reality of knowing his kids might be sinning and, as the priest of his home, he did the only things he knew to do—just in case. And he did it regularly. He was continuously bringing them before God for forgiveness.

My heart is broken for my grown wanderers. They are missing so much. They are missing the love of God, the joy of knowing Him, the peace of forgiveness, the comfort of His presence, the wisdom of His Word, the promise of eternity, the healing of His touch, the freedom from bondage, the cleansing of salvation, the freedom of new life, the abundance of His riches. They have settled for fear, anger, questioning, suspicion, uncertainty, chains, unrest, envy, disquiet, anxiety, evil, filth, lies and deception.

I cry out in my spirit, “Why?” Why would they choose these things? Why does this seem better to them? Why have they fallen so hard, walked so far away?

But then, like Job, I pray for God to forgive them, to bring them to their senses, for their eyes and ears to be opened up to truth again. I pray earnestly that He would not let them go too far or be gone too long. I pray He will not permit them to die in their sins—for their sake, for His sake, and for my sake.

“Father, only You can work this work in our wayward loved ones. We bring them to You for salvation. We pray for them while they are not praying for themselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”