Sadness
Well, my son has finally pushed enough buttons so that even my wife has asked him to think about moving out of the house. This is a dark day. For years I've tried to get through, but to no avail. I've been reading age-level gospel literature to him and praying with him since he was an infant. Nothing.
My brother, who died on May 11, 1999, went a similar course. He was 18 in 1977 when he moved out of my parent's house. He always gave my father grief, disobeying and dishonoring him, and showing no regard for his authority. He went on to live as a free spirit, and became very much an alcoholic. He went about telling people that my father had abused him. Not true. My mom and dad prayed and prayed for his salvation. He left no evidence that he ever came to Christ before he died.
Will this happen again in my life?
posted by mark pierson at 7:21 AM
22 Comments:
O Lord, You are sovereign, let your mercy come upon Mark's son. For you have mercy on rebels like us Lord.
Not for our sake, but for Your name's sake, and Your glory. Amen.
May 09, 2008 9:15 AM
Mark,
I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
Wayne
May 09, 2008 9:45 AM
I will pray for your son.
May 09, 2008 9:58 AM
Mark,
I'm praying for your son, your family and you this morning. I'm so thankful that God can do what we can not... that His way is to take those who "will not" and give them a new nature. I'm praying especially for the gift of repentance for your son.
Wes
May 10, 2008 7:53 AM
Brothers, THANK YOU!!!
May 10, 2008 12:05 PM
Mark, I write this in abject humiliation and sincerity, with no hint of cynicism, as a father of two sons myself, I promise you.
In addition to reading the gospels to you son, and praying with him, might I ask, how else did you try to engage with him? For example, did you take him fishing, camping, hiking, ball games, stuff like that? What sort of role model did you attempt to establish?
May 10, 2008 6:52 PM
Hi Mark,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family dear brother. My oldest daughter does not know the Lord also and it is difficult. The world has a strong hold on her, we just keep praying that the Lord will open her heart to the truth.
Cristina
May 10, 2008 10:20 PM
"did you take him fishing, camping, hiking, ball games, stuff like that? What sort of role model did you attempt to establish?"
================
yes
yes
yes
yes
Thanks for thinly veiled blame game!
May 10, 2008 11:48 PM
Cristina,
You and yours are in my prayers. Thanks!
Mark
May 10, 2008 11:51 PM
Not at all Mark, I have had two sons myself. I know the problem.
However, I read your message and I won't be back. As I am unable to pray for you I simply wish you luck.
Jim
May 11, 2008 6:36 AM
maalie,
You know exactly what you meant. When a parent is down, the last thing you do is demean his parenting skills by questioning them. Mark was asking folks for prayer because of his love for his son. I'm glad you are not returning because all you do is demean folks here. There is always some sort of veneem in your words. You start out with concern and then you attack. Folks are not blind to your agenda here at least some. Good bye Maalie. I pray the Lord opens your heart to truth and you come to know him as your Savior..
May 11, 2008 1:49 PM
Thanks, Cristina!
May 11, 2008 2:01 PM
I'm really astonished at the thinking of some people like Maalie, Mark. I suspect that you're like me and aren't perfect. We Christians though recognize our weakness and failure and cling to a God who says that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
The issue isn't your performance, but the trustworthiness of our God who promises that, somehow, against all human sense and reason sometimes, "all things work together for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose."
Again, I'm praying for the gift of repentance for all apart from Christ and His peace for those walking with him (Phil 4:4-7) - that in everything, Jesus would be glorified.
Sorry that you got the "drive-by" slap from our UK buddie, but let's all pray that his eyes would be opened to the foolishness of the Gospel.
May 11, 2008 2:10 PM
Hi Mark,
That is a very heavy post, and you certainly have been, and certainly will be in my heart and prayers. I know your heart and soul are heavy,just as I know that I cannot even begin to fathom the depth of the "sadness" you have over this. Peace to you.
May 11, 2008 3:37 PM
Dear Brother Mark,
I just read your entry on your son and my heart is grieved for you and for me and for others who children do not yet know the Lord. The love that we have for our children is so deep, and yet how does it compare to the love of our heavenly Father or ... does it. I think there comes a time that we have to "let go and let God" and just trust His sovereign purposes. I write this comment but to be honest I am at a lost for words, suffice to say I will pray for your son. Don't let others play the guilt and blame game with you. As Cristina said in her comment, our oldest daughter is not saved, our youngest is not walking with the Lord and our son Matt is attempting to walk with God but has some serious decisions to make. So it grieves every parent's heart and to the best of our knowledge we did what we thought was right. Yeah we could have prayed more, did more family devotions, gone to church more, but ultimately it's up to God.
May all who are parents continue to seek His face for our children.
James
May 12, 2008 6:16 AM
Wes, thanks for the encouragement.
Doug, good to see you again.
J.D., thanks for praying
James, you and I are in the same boat.
We all, well, all we can do is throw ourselves on God's mercy.
Mark
May 12, 2008 6:57 AM
I haven't been around in awhile and found this today.
Having been where you are, and still not having any of our 4 love and serve The Lord as we so desire, it is a hard and sad place.
I can only tell you from our experience, as we have a very honest, open, loving relationship with all our children, that you truly just have to LET GO & LET GOD. It is so easy to say and so very hard to do, but we must. We have to come to the point of realizing that God loves them so much more than we ever could and that He cares even more deeply than we. That we have absolutely no control and that what we are called to do is love them "in spite" of. Continue to shed His love abroad upon that son. He is still very young and someday!!!!
I hope you can read my heart in this matter. I hurt for you and with you my dear Brother in Christ and our Lord is sufficient.
Susan
May 14, 2008 8:52 AM
Susan,
You've blessed me today. Thank you!
Mark
May 14, 2008 12:26 PM
Mark, I looked for an e-mail address on this site for you and could not find one. Would you please e-mail me at my e-mail address listed on my "about me" page. Thanks!
Susan
May 15, 2008 6:50 PM
Susan, for some reason I can't email people who are not already in my conatacts list within my email provider. I can't go to somebody's profile page and email them through their posted email address. So what I'll do is post my profile page here so that you can hopefully tap into my email through that. Here it is ...
http://www.blogger.com/profile/13882538938829765324
May 16, 2008 8:31 AM
Mark, I've just read about your son. I will be praying for his salvation and that God would send others across his path and preach the gospel to him. You never know who God will use to reach someone.
June 17, 2008 4:21 PM
Dawn,
As friends go, you're a keeper!
June 18, 2008 7:53 AM
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