Longing for Loved Ones to be Saved
Some of us have a spouse, a child, mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, cousin, close friend, neighbor, co-worker – people we know and love – people who we pray for that they would come to Jesus and accept Him as their Lord and Saviour.
We have spoken to them about the Lord and his saving grace. But, they have not embraced the Saviour as we have, yet. That can be discouraging since we sincerely want them to experience the same joy and peace of being forgiven and having eternal life!
Beloved child of God, we need to remember that the Lord “is longsuffering…, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Like us, His desire is for them to be saved, also.
John tells us, “… as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13). It would be great if we could, but, we cannot “will” a person to be saved, as the Bible says here. Zechariah 4:6 also comes to mind – “…Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
We should not stay discouraged, but, instead, pray and believe that they will be saved in due time. We remind the Lord of His promise – “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22)
Sometimes it is particularly hard with family and those close to us. Why? I think it’s because they know us so well. They are more aware of our shortcomings and imperfections.
Thankfully, our salvation does not depend on what we do, but, rather what the Lord Jesus has done for us at the cross of Calvary in taking our place in dying for our sins to redeem us back to God.
However, we should maintain a consistent testimony before others by living a life of obedience to God.
As we allow the Spirit of God to work in our lives, so we should allow Him to work in theirs in allowing circumstances to draw them to the true God, and our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And, we must persevere in prayer.
You may have heard of George Müller. He was a Christian evangelist and the director of the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England back in the 1800s. He helped care for over 12,000 orphans during his lifetime. Mr. Müller was a man of prayer and great faith.
“One day George Müller began praying for five of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth man was saved. [Brother] Müller persevered in prayer until his death for the fifth friend, and throughout those 52 years he never gave up hoping that he would accept Christ! His faith was rewarded, for soon after Müller ‘s funeral the fifth friend was saved.” This reminds us that the Lord answers prayer according to His timetable, not ours.
Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ? – “men ought always to pray, and not to faint…” (Luke 18:1)
About the importunate woman spoken of in Luke 18, C.H. Spurgeon said, “Here, if we would prevail, we must persist; we must continue incessantly and constantly, and know no pause to our prayer till we win the mercy to the fullest possible extent. “Men ought always to pray.” Week by week, month by month, year by year; the conversion of that dear child is to be the father’s main plea. The bringing in of that unconverted husband is to lie upon the wife’s heart night and day till she gets it; she is not to take even ten or twenty years of unsuccessful prayer as a reason why she should cease; she is to set God no times nor seasons, but so long as there is life in her and life in the dear object of her solicitude, she is to continue still to plead with the mighty God of Jacob.”
Take comfort in knowing that God will not make a mistake. At the return of the Lord Jesus Crist for His own, otherwise known as the “rapture,” no one will be left behind that would have been saved, even if they lived for many, many more years. All that will embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour will do so before his coming again.
May we never stop persisting in prayer for the salvation of those we love.
Pray on, pray on, believing one,
God’s promised word is sure,
That they shall overcome by faith
Who to the end endure;
Pray on, pray on, O weary not,
The cross with patience bear,
And though its burden weighs us down,
The Lord will answer prayer.
His eye foresees our greatest good,
While we at best are weak,
And thus in wisdom He withholds
The boon that oft we seek;
And yet His all-sufficient grace
He bids us freely share,
And in a way we little know,
The Lord will answer prayer.
With anxious thoughts for those we love,
How oft our hearts are filled,
But soon the clouds are rolled away,
The troubled ways are stilled;
Then murmur not, but trust in Him
Who knows our every care,
And better far than we can ask,
The Lord will answer prayer.