Last night my husband shared the gospel with our granddaughter. He also told her that she needs to make plans, think about her future, stop manipulating and expecting others to do everything for her, take steps to become an independent, responsible adult. She responded with rage. I was not surprised.
After she stormed off to her room, he told me what he’d done and we prayed for her. We prayed against the lies and destructive powers that are holding her captive. We asked the Lord to open her heart, to help her see that she cannot continue in her current mind set, to see her need to mature and to become responsible for herself, to help her move forward. We also asked that He protect her and us, for these ideas that she has are not only immature and lies, but destructive.
This morning, feeling the wounds of spiritual war, I asked the Lord to give me something from His Word that would help me have the courage to continue. This battle is way too much for me. My devotional book sent me to 1 Samuel 1:27 which says, “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.”
In context, this is about Hannah who prayed for a child, not a distraught grandmother pleading with the Lord for the life of a deluded and messed up grandchild. But it flooded my heart with instant peace and joy. I sit here in wonder at Him. I know how to properly interpret Scripture, to not take things out of context, but I also know God can use whatever He wants to minister to His children.
So what can I say? That my prayer plus this verse is a coincidence? That He is not speaking directly to my battle-weary heart? Of course not! God doesn’t play games with His people. He blesses us in ways we cannot imagine, and this isn’t the first time He has given me reassurance about this child (of twenty-three). Other times as I’ve prayed for her, I’ve heard this inner voice say things like, “I’ve got this under control” or “Nothing is too difficult for Me.”
Hannah received her child from the Lord, and as soon as the child was weaned, she gave him back to God. In spiritual parallel, that is the longing of my heart. It doesn’t matter if our granddaughter’s birth into God’s family is through me, or that I disciple her to maturity. I just want to see it happen. In faith, we continue to love her, to hold unto and proclaim truth, and give the means and the results to the Lord—for whom nothing is too difficult.
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This is a test.
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