Aurelius Augustine, born A.D. 354, was a brilliant but utterly immoral young man. For three decades, his mother, Monica, prayed for him, following him from Africa to Italy, weeping, pleading, and assaulting heaven with perpetual missiles of prayer. The Lord finally answered in wondrous ways, for Monica’s wayward son eventually became one of the most influential figures in Christian history.
As my child headed to the university, I found great strength in reading Augustine’s autobiography, Confessions, which he wrote in the form of a prayer. Using phrases in that book, I composed this petition:
Lord,
Thy omnipotence is not far from us, even when we are far from Thee, and Thy faithful mercy hovers over us from afar.
During this unstable period of life, please keep back ____________________ from strange sins. Stretch forth Thy hand from above and draw up his soul from darkness. Even now pierce his heart with Thy love, guide him by inward stings and by the secret impulses of Thy providence, and set his shameful errors before his face that he might see and hate them.
Go on, O Lord, and act: stir him up and call him back; inflame him and draw him to Thee; stir him up and grow sweet to him; let him now love Thee; let him run to Thee.11.
Monica waited for years for Augustine to come to Christ, but she would have quickly told you that it was worth it. Wait on the Lord; give Him time to work.