A Mom’s Prayer

Luke 8:26-27  “So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes across the lake from Galilee. As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him.”

I just love when I am involved in a Bible study with other women. There is so much we can glean from one another. We read about Jesus and His disciples taking a boat trip across the Sea of Galilee to the region of Gerasenes. This area was a Gentile region southeast of the Sea of Galilee. It was known to be a thriving, modern, and vulgar area that was forbidden by Jewish law to go there. Yet Jesus defied the law and instructed the apostles to take a trip to that region. Once they made it there, as Jesus was climbing out of the boat, right in front of Him was a man possessed by demons. This man had been homeless and naked and lived in a cemetery that was outside of town. A question was asked in our study, “So what drew Jesus to take a trip across the sea to go to an island that was off limits for all Jews? A woman in our study remarked, “I wonder if Jesus was answering the prayer of a mother?” 

That one little question has changed my perception of every story and every name that has been mentioned in the Bible. I now see the mom behind the story. Everyone in this book was brought into this world by a mother. A mother’s heart has compassion and love for her child. How many other stories do we read that have a praying mom in her prayer closet crying out to the Lord for her child? I wonder how many days, months or years this mother prayed for his soul. Was she at the end of her rope? Was her faith as tiny as a mustard seed as she watched her son delve deeper and deeper into the throes of Satan? After Jesus had healed this man, he wanted to go with Jesus and serve. Jesus had a different plan for this man. He instructed him to go home to his family, and tell them everything God had done for him. I wonder why God’s will for this man was to go home to his village and tell everyone what Jesus had done. Can you imagine the complete joy this mom felt as she saw her son walk through the front door healed and clothed? What a loving God to show compassion on this mom so she could see first hand her child had been healed. Years and tears of a mom praying finally answered. What an amazing miracle this mom and her son could share to all of those who watched her faithfully pray for her boy.

I know the heart of a praying mom as I know each of you do. I prayed often for the heath and welfare of both my daughters. I have never prayed harder as when I stood by my daughter’s bedside and asked the Lord for a miracle to heal her brain. I so wanted a happy ending and a return to my village with my daughter healed and what a story we could tell together. Yet my ending and the Lord’s will for my daughter would take me on a journey across stormy waters . It took time, work and many prayers to finally find my sea legs. I would return to my village alone to share my story. I know waiting in the background was my mom on bended knees praying for her daughter’s broken heart to be healed. I am so thankful my mom witnessed her prayers answered.

Lord, You know a mom’s heartbreak and You hear her prayers. As You died on the cross for us, I am sure You knew the pain your mother Mary was enduring as she watched You suffer. Were You praying for her broken heart as You died on the cross?

 - Katie’s mom Michele