A rebellious son

Plains of Mesopotamia as seen on the background from the roof top of an
ancient building in the city of Mardin, eastern Turkey.
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Today we continue with the story of the rebellious son Harold Wilson as
told in the book "The Marked Bible."

Installment One:

Mrs. Wilson had been a fine mother. Together with her husband, she had
tried to raise little Harold in the ways of the Lord. It was the supreme
ambition of both father and mother that little Harold should be trained for
the work of the Gospel. They wanted him to devote his life to proclaiming
the good news of Him who died to save from sin, and who one day would
come again in glory to receive His people to Himself. He was a handsome
boy and early gave evidence of a love for the things of God, but the first
tragedy struck.
Harold's father was stricken down with a fatal illness. After much pain
and expenses the poor man died, leaving his widow penniless. The sweet,
little boy Harold used to be, slowly started turning into an alcoholic, a
gambler, and a thief. He seemed the exact opposite of what his parents
had intended for him to be. In fact, he turned out to be just like his
great-grandfather who had been an atheist, blasphemer, drunkard,
murderer, and jailed inmate. Mrs. Wilson reflected often on this likenes
between her son and the great-grandfather. She felt awfully sad because
she saw in her son the fulfillment of the scripture: "visiting the iniquity
of the fathers upon the children unto the third generation."

One day she heard about a recent crime in the neighborhood. All
suspicion rested on Harold Wilson, her only son. She tried to talk
to him about a better life. But when she did so, there came the last
crushing disappointment. She was told never again to mention the
subject of a better life. In fact, there would now be very little chance
for the mother to talk to her son because in just a few days he would
be leaving to work on a ship sailing to faraway places. His reason for
taking the ship was to escape the clutches of the law.
During his last few remaining days at home Harold continue to
defy and blaspheme God in every way he could. In his drunkeness
he even challenged God, if He existed, to come and strike him down
if He dared. Poor Harold Wilson had fallen very low.
By now his mother started to doubt if God really answers prayer.
She felt that so many years of sacrifice and devotion had all just
been wasted. Why was God not listening?

Then a dream came. In that dream Mrs. Wilson saw that bright
and shining morning of the first day after Jesus' return. There in
the glory of the new creation she encountered her husband again.
She was happy to see him, but she was even happier when she
aslo saw her beloved, little son, Harold standing next to her husband.
"Harold, my boy!! How did you get in here?'
Then little Harold answered:
'Mother, do you remember the marked Bible you hid among my
things the day I left you and went to sea? The message you wrote
on the book itself broke my hardened spirit, and I could not find
rest until I laid my weary self at His feet. He lifted me up, he taught
me of the right way, He guided my soul to this better land."

When Mrs. Wilson woke up, she interpreted that dream to be a
blessed re-assurance that her son would eventually be saved.
She also understood the meaning of the dream as heavenly
instructions on how to put Harold in the path towards salvation.
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Tomorrow when we continue with this blog, we will see what
Mrs. Wilson did to try to reach the heart of her son.

God Bless You.