In Luke 12:52-53, Jesus warns us that division could happen and would happen within families:

“Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law” (NKJV).

Jesus knew being in relationship with Him could, and would in some cases, cause division in families. He explained the reason in John 3:20: “‘For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.’”

We can and should pray that our prodigals come to the Light and, not only that they be saved, but that families will be restored. Our God can do that, and He has done so time and time again!

We find a promise in Isaiah that speaks to the healing, leading, and restoration of the backslider: “I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will also lead him, And restore comforts to him And to his mourners” (Isaiah 57:18).

In fact, we find so many promises in the Word of God that speak to the Lord’s devotion to those who’ve turned away from Him. Jeremiah 3:14 is one of them: “‘Return, O backsliding children,’ says the Lord; ‘for I am married to you.’” Jeremiah is full of God’s grief and the results of His people’s rebellion, but it is also full of promises to redeem. Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the verses often quoted, but if we read a little further, we find beautiful promises from the mouth of God regarding those who’ve turned away from Him:

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity” (vv. 11–14).

We can pray through these promises for restoration of prodigals’ relationships with God, and we can pray for the restoration of their relationships with their families, praying: “Restore to [our prodigals] the joy of Your salvation, And uphold [them] by Your generous Spirit” (Psalm 51:12). We can pray with faith, confidence, and hope because He is “a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15).

And, that is why we don’t give up! That’s why we pray over our prodigals the verses the Holy Spirit points out to us. We don’t stop praying, because we can trust our God to be compassionate, gracious, longsuffering, and merciful! We have hope for their restoration to relationship with God, and we have hope of their being restored to their families.

Amen! So be it!