The Child Of Your Tears

Before St. Augustine became, well, a saint, he lived a life of utter hedonism and immoral pursuits. Although his mother was a devout Christian and provided religious instruction, his father and the town they lived in were resolutely pagan and unprincipled. Augustine willfully followed the ways of his father, fathering children out of wedlock and trying to outdo the sinful ways of his closest friends. He experimented with mystic cults and even became a well known evangelizer for his false faith.

All the while his mother was absolutely beside herself with grief. She prayed earnestly that her son would find the Way, and at one point went to a bishop in utter tears. He comforted her with these prophetic words: “Go your way, and God bless you, for it is not possible that the son of these tears should perish.”

Sometimes praying for our child is all we have, especially if our child is older and no longer under our direct influence. While our prayers will not decide for our child, God hears and honors them. We may never know the people, circumstances or thoughts placed in the path of our child that will move him closer to a decision for Christ.

But please do not substitute praying for your child for praying with him or over him. All Christian parents should pray for their children, but not to the exclusion of purposeful teaching in God’s truths and faithful living. Although Augustine initially abandoned it, his mother was true to her godly calling of being a Christian mother. She taught her son, and then she prayed for him when she had no other options for reaching him.

Praying for your child’s salvation honors God. It builds His kingdom, which is what He wants. Add it to your toolbox, but don’t make it the only tool you use for reaching your child.