What do you want to be when you grow up?”

How many times has that question been asked to kids?  The answers you get are often comical.  But when you ask that question to parents about their children, it comes with a little more seriousness.  Of course many parents might get excited about the thought of their little ones becoming a doctor or a pastor or a lawyer or a professional athlete or the president of a company or of the United States or a missionary or whatever.  But at the same time there is sure to be a fair amount of fear in parents as well, when they think about the future of their children, especially when they look back on how many sinful and painful things they went through.

In keeping with part 1 of this two-part post on how we need to trust and delight in our Sovereign God, specifically when it comes to our children, the focus of this post is on how God is sovereign over prodigal children and every aspect of the future of our children.

SOVEREIGN OVER PRODIGAL CHILDREN

It might be helpful to first define this term, “prodigal”, before we talk about the Lord’s providential control over them.  A “prodigal” is a person who drives recklessly full speed ahead with little to no thought as to their direction or destination.  They are all accelerator and no steering; passionate drive without prudent direction.  Most simply, a prodigal is someone who wastes their life, fast and furiously.

It is probably not even possible to calculate all the pain and sorrow prodigal children have caused their parents (Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 15:20; Proverbs 17:21,25; Proverbs 19:13; Proverbs 28:7; Proverbs 29:3).  The tears and prayers poured out for these children are just as incalculable.  What leads to a child going astray?  We all know someone, perhaps even ourselves, that has wasted or is wasting far too much of their youth.  And while the excuses and factors and reasons that parents, critics, and well-meaning people give for why children go astray, they really don’t seem to offer much hope or comfort.

For most Christians, probably the first thing that comes our minds when we think of a prodigal child is Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.  Among the many wonderful truths found within this treasure chest is the sovereignty of God.  We see, by implication, that God was sovereign both in the leaving and the returning of the prodigal son, just as He was sovereign over the losing and finding of the sheep and the lost coin in the previous parables of Luke 15. 

First, we see that although there were two sons, both living under the love and provision and protection and teaching and discipline of the same father, yet one of the sons went astray (vv. 11-13).  What do we gather from this?  That the Lord wanted the younger son, even the prodigals we know, to run away?  Yes and no.  If we mean by that question that the Holy One desired, called, and commanded the younger son to be sinful, then the answer is, of course, no.  But if we mean that the All-Wise One had good and God-glorifying purposes in the sinful leaving of the younger son, then the answer is, of course, yes.  We must not view the Almighty merely as being able to fix and use our mistakes, but rather that He even intends them for His Holy, Wise, and Loving plans (cf. Genesis 50:20)!  God must be sovereign over the beginning and the end; the problem and the answer.  If God is not sovereign over all, then He is not sovereign at all.

Next, we see that God is sovereign in the middle of the prodigal’s situations and sinful living (vv. 14-16).  And this is the hope parents need who are still waiting for their prodigal children to return.  How is it that parents can sleep at night, when they have children who are off with such people, in certain places, doing kinds of things that parents absolutely dread; things that can ruin their lives, end their lives, and that are storing up for themselves the wrath of the Holy Judge who sees what is done in secret (Hebrews 4:13; Romans 2:16)?  All of the details that surround both compliant and prodigal children are in the hands of the Father.  Parents can only sleep with any sort of restfulness, if and when they acknowledge that their worrying not only is useless, but it is also a doubting of the Supreme Ruler and All-Powerful Creator and Sovereign Sustainer who calls us to trust Him, casting all of our cares on Him (James 4:4-8; I Peter 5:5-11, esp. v. 7).  This is where praying for the Lord to provide purposeful and effective suffering for prodigals might be the best prayers.  (See also 12 Ways to Love Your Wayward Child, by Abraham Piper).

Last, we see that in the midst of all of the sad happenings of the prodigal son’s life, he miraculously “comes to himself” and then goes back to his father with a humble and repentent heart (vv. 17-21).  How did this happen?  Indeed the question on every parent’s mind who has a prodigal child is how can this happen for their child?  The answer is not that the young man just decided one day that he was doing things wrong and needed to repent.  No, repentence is only granted by the Sovereign Savior (II Timothy 2:25; Acts 5:31).  The answer seems to be made clear in the response of the young man’s father (vv. 22-24, 32).  The prodigal son’s father puts it in the passive voice, as though he were found and made alive by someone outside of himself (Ephesians 2:1-10).  This is nothing other than the soverign grace of God working in the heart of a wicked and wasted life.  This is the only and ultimate hope and prayer and praise of all prodigal children’s parents: The Sovereign and Gracious Savior!

SOVEREIGN OVER THE FUTURE

So very closely related to this issue of God being in complete control over prodigal children is the more general truth that God is in complete control over every detail and aspect of our children’s future.  Part of the fear of the future for our children is rooted in the fact that we don’t know what will happen in the next 5 minutes, let alone the next 5, 15, or 55 years.  This is why Solomon calls us to respond humbly and trustingly to the Sovereign God instead of trying to figure everything out so as to avoid all suffering (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14).

Who will they marry?  Where will they go to college?  Where will they live?  What will they do?  Will they be financially stable?  Will they be healthy?  Will they make wise choices?  How will they fare in this troubled and turbulent world?   We just don’t know; nor are we supposed to.  God has many reasons why He does not reveal to us our future, or the future of our children, but He has one major purpose: That He will be glorified as we trust Him for the present and the future and that we trust Him for the present and the future of our children. 

While it is our God-given responsibility to care for, guide, and plan for the future of our children, we must leave room for and always rely on the sovereignty of God (James 4:13-17).  And while it is wise, good, and loving for us to care for, guide, and plan for the future of our children, it would be a shameful mistake on our part to think that we know better or care more for our kids than our Heavenly Father does.  We must pray, plan, teach, and guide our children as we and because we trust in the sovereign Lord.  The ultimate test of our faith is not so much how much of ourselves we entrust to His care, but how much of our children we entrust to His sovereign care.