HOW CAN YOU HELP A "PRODIGAL"" CHILD?

Draw Close to God

"Draw close to God," wrote the disciple James, "and he will draw close to you."  (James 4:8) To do so, a young person must be helped to cultivate a taste for the Word of God.  (Psalm 34:8) Initially he will need "milk" -the basic teachings of the Bible.  But as he takes delight in God's Word and acquires a taste for "solid food" -deep spiritual information-spiritual maturity will not be far off for him.  (Hebrews 5:11-14; Psalm 1:2) A youth who admitted that he had been swallowed up in the way of the world began to appreciate  spiritual values.  What helped  him turn around?  Responding to a suggesting to read the whole Bible, he kept to a regular Bible reading schedule.  Yes, reading the Word of God regularly is essential for cultivating a close bond with Jehovah.

How vital that parents help their children to cultivate a fondness for God's Word! Despite having a regular Bible study, one teenage girl associated with delinquents.  Regarding her family study, she recalls:  "When Father asked the questions, I just read off the answers, without even looking at his face."  Instead of just covering the material during  a family study, wise parents employ the art of teaching.  (2 Timothy 4:2) For a youth to enjoy the study, he must feel involved.  Why not ask viewpoint question and let him express himself.  Encourage the young ones to make practical application of the material under consideration.

 Moreover, make the Scriptural discussion lively.  When appropriate, have young ones act out Bible events and dramas.  Help them visualize the location and features of the land where events being discussed too place.  Using maps and charts may help. Yet, with little imagination, a family study can be made lively and varied.  Parents also do  well to examine their own relationship with Jehovah.  As they themselves draw closer to Jehovah, they can help their children to do so. -Deuteronomy 6:5-7.

Prayer also  helps one draw close to God. A girl in her early teens felt torn between the Christian way of life and her association with friends who did not share her beliefs.  (James 4:4) What did she do about it?   "For the very first time," she confessed, "I really prayed to Jehovah about how I felt."  She concluded that her prayer was answered when she eventually found within the Christian congregation a friend in whom she could confide.  Feeling that Jehovah was guiding her, she began to build a personal relationship with God.  Parents can help their children by improving the quality of their own prayers. When praying as a family, parents can pour out their heart so that their children can feel the personal bond between the parents and Jehovah.

Next time:  Be Patient but Firm

Watchtower, 2001

The Power of Prayer

ELIEZER believes in the power of prayer. With remarkable, childlike faith, he makes this humble request: "Jehovah the God of my master Abraham, cause it to happen, please, before me this day and perform loving-kindness with my master Abraham. Here I am stationed at a fountain of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. What must occur is that the young woman to whom I shall say, 'Let your water jar down, please, that I may take a drink,' and who will indeed say, 'Take a drink, and I shall also water your camels,' this is the one you must assign to your servant, to Isaac; and by this let me know that you have performed loyal love with my master." -Genesis 24:12-14.

Eliezer's confidence in the power of prayer is not in vain. Why, the very first woman who comes to the well happens to be the granddaughter of Abraham's brother! Her name is Rebekah, and she is single, morally chaste and beautiful. Remarkably, she not only gives Eliezer a drink but kindly offers to quench the thirst of all his camel. Later, after a family consultation, Rebekah willingly agrees to go back with Eliezer to a distant land to become the wife of Abraham's son Isaac. What a dramatic and clear answer to Eliezer's prayer back at a time when God occasionally intervened miraculously in events!

We can learn much from Eliezer's prayer. It showed his outstanding faith, humility, and unselfish concern for the needs of others. Eliezer's prayer also showed his submission to Jehovah's way of dealing with mankind. No doubt he was aware of God's special attachment to Abraham as well as His promise that future blessings would come to all mankind through Abraham. (Genesis 12:3) Thus, Eliezer started his prayer with the words: "Jehovah the God of my master Abraham.

Jesus Christ was the descendant of Abraham who would be the means for blessing all obedient mankind. (Genesis 22:18) If we want our prayers to be answered today, we need to show humble recognition of God's way of dealing with mankind through his Son, Jesus Christ said: "If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will take place for you." -John 15:7.

A follower of Christ who experience the truthfulness of these words of Jesus was the apostle Paul. His belief in the power of prayer was certainly not in vain. He encouraged fellow Christians to take all their anxieties to God in prayer and testified: "For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who impart power to me." (Philippians 4:6, 7, 13) Does this mean that all of Paul's prayers requests to God were granted? Let us see.

Next time: Not All Requests Are Granted

Watchtower, 2000