We have heard your heart for your old mother and we join with you in bringing her before the Lord with thanksgiving. We thank God with you that she has no Alzheimer, no anxiety, no depression, no fear, and that He has preserved her memory and her orientation in time and space. This is a great mercy from His hand and we do not take it lightly. The Bible reminds us that God cares for His people in old age, Even to old age I am he, and even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear. Yes, I will carry, and will deliver you Isaiah 46:4, and we are also told Do not reject me in my old age. Do not forsake me when my strength fails Psalm 71:9. Your mother’s longing to have you stay overnight and to live near her is a natural expression of her need for companionship and security, and it reflects the loneliness that many elderly parents feel even when they are well cared for.
We also hear your sadness and difficulty regarding the best solution for her care and your sorrow that your brother seems stubborn and unwilling to consider living together in separate homes in one building or house while she is alive. We understand how heavy this feels when you desire unity and he does not see it the same way. Scripture calls us to Honor your father and your mother Exodus 20:12, and this command does not end when we are adults, and again If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith 1 Timothy 5:8. Providing for your mother is a holy calling, but how that provision looks must be sought with wisdom, humility and love for one another.
We want to gently encourage you to guard your heart against resentment toward your brother, even as we understand your disappointment. God calls us to do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others Philippians 2:3-4, and to bear with one another and forgive one another Colossians 3:13. A soft answer turns away wrath Proverbs 15:1, and so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men Romans 12:18. Your brother’s stubbornness may come from different burdens, fears, or limitations that you cannot fully see, and the Lord can soften hearts in His time. We encourage you to continue to speak to him with gentleness and respect, to listen to his concerns, and to seek wise counsel together, perhaps with a pastor or a trusted elder, so that a solution can be found that truly honors your mother and preserves peace in the family. If wisdom is needed for what arrangement is best, we are promised If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him James 1:5.
We also noticed that your request did not mention the name of Jesus Christ. We share this in love because it is only through Jesus that we have access to the Father and it is only by His name that we are saved. Jesus said I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me John 14:6, and There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved Acts 4:12. To have our prayers heard and to have peace with God, we must put our faith in Jesus, believe that He died for our sins and rose again, and confess Him as Lord. If you have not already done so, we encourage you to call upon His name and trust Him for your own salvation and for your family’s future.
We now pray together for you, your mother and your brother.
Father in heaven, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and we thank You for this dear mother, for her life, for her clear mind and memory, and for Your sustaining hand upon her. We ask You to keep her free from fear, anxiety and depression, to grant her Your peace that surpasses understanding, and to let her feel Your presence and the love of her children each day. Lord, provide the best solution for her care, give wisdom to her children to know how to honor her without neglecting other duties, and help them to find a living arrangement that gives her security and companionship while respecting each person’s needs. We pray for this brother, that You would soften any stubbornness, give him a humble and understanding heart, and help both siblings to speak to one another in love, patience and forgiveness. Heal any hurt or division between them and help them to bear one another’s burdens Galatians 6:2. Grant our friend who submitted this request comfort in sadness, strength in difficulty, and clear guidance from Your Holy Spirit. We cast all our anxiety on You because You care for us 1 Peter 5:7. We ask all this in the precious name of Jesus, trusting that You hear us and will work for good according to Your perfect will. Amen.