Wednesday, September 22, 2010

He's My Son

I know that I have a lot of living left to do, and that there are many things that I haven't yet experienced that I hope to never experience.  Having a wayward child is one of them.  I know people who have struggled with the heartache of watching their children stray from the things that they have been taught. I can only imagine the devastation they feel.

As I was reading this morning, it really struck me how hurt and betrayed Alma must have felt when his son became a very wicked and an idolatrous man" (Mosiah 27:8).  Alma was a very faithful servant of God.  He spent his days preaching to his people about Christ.  He was the "founder of their church" (Mosiah 29:47).  He was converted by Abinadi to the knowledge of the Savior, and took it upon himself to be a witness for Him.  And his son rebelled.

And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them.(Mosiah 27:9)

Not only was Alma the younger rebelling against everything his father had taught, he was trying to bring people with him.  "...for he did go about secretly...seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord."(Mosiah 27:10)

I'm sure that Alma did everything any parent would do when faced with such a trial.  I'm sure he tried talking to his son.  I'm sure he told him how much he loved him.  He probably even got angry with him.  There is one thing that the scriptures do tell us he did - he "prayed with much faith concerning [his son] that [he] mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth"(Mosiah 27:14).  I have prayed many times for my children.  I've prayed that they will make the right choices.  That they'll be safe.  I imagine that Alma was pleading with all his heart that his son would turn back to the ways that he'd been taught.  I think his prayer could have been something like this:



I pray often, but there is no prayer as heartfelt and full of emotion as my prayers for my children.  I believe that Heavenly Father, more than anyone, understands the love of a parent for a child.  He knows of the anxiety that comes with raising children and then allowing them to make their own choices.  He knows of the anguish that comes as a result of a child turning away from His light.  And He is there to help us through it.  I hope that this is not something that I ever have to face.  But if I do, I am grateful that I know where to turn for comfort and guidance. 

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