There is nothing like a parent crying out to God for a child.
A mother or father praying for their child - and never giving up - finds a ready ear in God.
One of my favourite Bible stories is of Hannah, weeping as she prayed for a son.
Hannah, one of Elkanah's two wives, was deeply upset as she prayed before God at the Tabernacle in Israel. She had no child and Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, who had several children, taunted Hannah because she was childless (1 Samuel 1).
It's a heartache that many couples have faced over the centuries.
Crying as she prayed, Hannah whispered to God that she would give her child to him if he ensured she gave birth. Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk and reprimanded her, but relented when he heard what she was praying. He supported her prayer.
In time, she gave birth to a son, Samuel. She stuck by her promise and, after Samuel was weaned, she gave him to Eli as his servant.
Samuel became a great prophet and played a major role in the destiny of Israel.
I was reminded of Hannah's story yesterday as I was reading Hudson Taylor's autobiography.
Taylor was one of the world's great missionaries, founding the China Inland Mission in the 1800s. He grew up in a devout family, but he had turned away from God by the time he was 15.
Somehow, he had not grasped the truth of the gospel in his heart. He believed he would have to earn his way to heaven and felt that was impossible. So, he rejected God and looked for reasons to support his views.
But he had a powerful praying family. His mother and sister were praying hard for him to become a follower of Jesus.
One day, while his mother was away visiting some friends, he wandered into his father's study and picked up a pamphlet which he hoped would give him some ammunition against Christianity.
At that moment, his mother felt a strong urge to pray at the home she was visiting. She went to her bedroom and prayed for a long time, pouring out her heart to God for her son. Then, she felt an inner certainty and peace that God had heard her and her son was safely in his hands.
Meanwhile, Taylor read the pamphlet and was struck to the heart. His eyes were opened to the fact that Christ had done what he could not do - all he needed to do was believe in Jesus. He took the step of faith.
When he told his mother on her return, she told him she already knew. He later picked up a little book that was identical to one of his and found that it was his sister's record of her prayers. She had dedicated herself to pray for him for months before he gave himself to God.
I remember, too, that Monica, mother of Augustine, prayed for her wayward son for years in 4th century North Africa. She was a believer, but he was not. He was living with a woman who gave him a son and he chased after popular philosophies - he was the equivalent of a 4th century New Ager.
But God heard Monica's prayers and Augustine surrendered his life to God. He became one of the greatest Christian leaders and writers in history.
God wants everyone to enter his family. And he wants to bless families.
He loves to answer the prayers of mothers and fathers praying for the spiritual welfare of their children.
A mother or father praying for their child - and never giving up - finds a ready ear in God.
One of my favourite Bible stories is of Hannah, weeping as she prayed for a son.
Hannah, one of Elkanah's two wives, was deeply upset as she prayed before God at the Tabernacle in Israel. She had no child and Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, who had several children, taunted Hannah because she was childless (1 Samuel 1).
It's a heartache that many couples have faced over the centuries.
Crying as she prayed, Hannah whispered to God that she would give her child to him if he ensured she gave birth. Eli, the priest, thought she was drunk and reprimanded her, but relented when he heard what she was praying. He supported her prayer.
In time, she gave birth to a son, Samuel. She stuck by her promise and, after Samuel was weaned, she gave him to Eli as his servant.
Samuel became a great prophet and played a major role in the destiny of Israel.
I was reminded of Hannah's story yesterday as I was reading Hudson Taylor's autobiography.
Taylor was one of the world's great missionaries, founding the China Inland Mission in the 1800s. He grew up in a devout family, but he had turned away from God by the time he was 15.
Somehow, he had not grasped the truth of the gospel in his heart. He believed he would have to earn his way to heaven and felt that was impossible. So, he rejected God and looked for reasons to support his views.
But he had a powerful praying family. His mother and sister were praying hard for him to become a follower of Jesus.
One day, while his mother was away visiting some friends, he wandered into his father's study and picked up a pamphlet which he hoped would give him some ammunition against Christianity.
At that moment, his mother felt a strong urge to pray at the home she was visiting. She went to her bedroom and prayed for a long time, pouring out her heart to God for her son. Then, she felt an inner certainty and peace that God had heard her and her son was safely in his hands.
Meanwhile, Taylor read the pamphlet and was struck to the heart. His eyes were opened to the fact that Christ had done what he could not do - all he needed to do was believe in Jesus. He took the step of faith.
When he told his mother on her return, she told him she already knew. He later picked up a little book that was identical to one of his and found that it was his sister's record of her prayers. She had dedicated herself to pray for him for months before he gave himself to God.
I remember, too, that Monica, mother of Augustine, prayed for her wayward son for years in 4th century North Africa. She was a believer, but he was not. He was living with a woman who gave him a son and he chased after popular philosophies - he was the equivalent of a 4th century New Ager.
But God heard Monica's prayers and Augustine surrendered his life to God. He became one of the greatest Christian leaders and writers in history.
God wants everyone to enter his family. And he wants to bless families.
He loves to answer the prayers of mothers and fathers praying for the spiritual welfare of their children.
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