The Lord is our Teacher and the Teacher of our prodigals. He teaches truth always. His commandments are for our good, His way is our best option, and His plan is perfect. He also makes sure we know it all, if we just listen and hear.

You

The Bible is clear—we are taught by the Lord, and we are so grateful.

• “O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works” (Psalm 71:17).
• “I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me” (Psalm 119:102).
• “The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies” (Psalm 25:9–10).
• “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27; see Ephesians 4:17–22 also).
• “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9).

Even if we receive instruction regarding truth from other people, our real source is the Lord, and truth should always be measured by God and His Word: “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (1 John 2:27). After all, the Lord is called “Counselor” in Isaiah 9:6.

The Holy Spirit will even pray for you (Romans 8:26).

But what does all of this have to do with our prodigals? For one thing, we are taught how to fight for our prodigals in this war for their souls: “Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1).

Also, the Word says in Isaiah 59:21: “‘As for Me,’ says the Lord, ‘this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants’ descendants,’ says the Lord, ‘from this time and forevermore.’”

Prodigals

The Bible speaks clearly about this:

• “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, And great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13).
• “Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way” (Psalm 25:8).
• “I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners” (Isaiah 57:18 KJV).
• “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28).

While Jesus was on earth, Jesus was called Teacher numerous times, because He taught, but something He did brings me so much comfort: “Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities” (Matthew 11:1). And He did it, because when the crowd was accusing Jesus to Pilate before He was crucified, they said fiercely, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place” (Luke 23:5). I believe He still does. I believe that as we go and do the work God has called us to do, He Himself will “teach and … preach in [our] cities.” Now, isn’t that comforting, because no one can teach and preach like the Lord! No one is as effective as He is.

The truth is, as Jesus said: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (John 6:44–45). Even though you may so desperately want to make them surrender to God, you cannot draw them. Only God can. I believe He is. So, instead of wasting time and energy trying to draw them back to God, pray that they will hear Him. Let me repeat that, because it is important: pray that they will hear Him!

Take comfort in knowing the Creator and God of the universe is teaching you and your prodigal!

Our Father, we praise You as Teacher and thank You for teaching us and our prodigals. “Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood— That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style” (Psalm 144:11–12). Teach our prodigals about Yourself and Your ways, and to love You and keep Your commandments. In Jesus’ name I pray.