When Moms Pray for Their Grown Sons

When moms pray for their sons, their grown sons, the unexpected usually happens.
Unexpected, because the prayers are often prayed on just a thread of faith.

Unexpected, because the answers never come as we envisioned them. We think we are in control of the answers, because we want control of everything.

Unexpected, because we believe far too little of our God; or that our God is far too little.

Then He comes through BIG; gigantic answers; huge compared to our weak-kneed whims.

When moms pray for sons who have wandered from the faith; who have flat out turned their backs in stiff-necked rebellion and angry scorn. When moms pray for the the return of those sons, moms often wait a long time. They watch their boys make terrible decisions causing life altering consequences. They peer through blurry, tear filled eyes to see their sons defy and lie and live in willful wrongdoing. When moms pray, those boys do finally come home. And sometimes they hold on to their Father more tightly because of the straying.

When moms pray, God astounds.

Some boys do fool-hearty things, like hop Southern Pacific freight trains across country for fun and film making. Good God, it's illegal! Those knife-like wheels are sharp. Those locomotives speed fast. Those toothless vagrants lie and steal. Some of  those aging hippies still take LSD, especially in Weed, California.

When moms pray for their rail riding sons, they can't fathom that God would plop them down in a hobo church for the homeless and hear songs sung just for them; words of prophecy from old women tailor-made for "The Railroad 5” as the church people called them. He sent a country preacher in a old tent revival setting in Oregon to stir their spirits, churn their souls and convict their conscience in a way that a dad's lecture never could.

When moms pray, God acts.
God speaks.
God changes minds.
God works!
Mightily!
Decidedly!

Amazing even their boys.

When moms pray.

We pray hardest for their future wives; the women who will partner with them through life. May they love God. May they be chaste. May they be selfless. May they be sharp-minded, yet humble to help their poor men. We pray hardest for our boys' life-partners.

So far God's done, well, you know, better than expected. Wonderful new daughters are coming in to the family. I'm still praying for the those yet to marry.

I won't stop praying. When the guys eventually mature, there will be new generations for whom to stand in the gap. And I'm expecting God to be faithful and loving and just and more gracious than we all deserve.

I think He likes it very much

When moms pray.