Each day’s prayer touches on a different topic. For instance, the title for Day 2 is “When You Feel Like a Failure as a Parent.” It goes on to pray about releasing what has happened in the past and looking forward to what God can, and is doing, in the present and future. For instance, the prayer says, “Because I can’t change what has already happened, I pray that You will open my heart to new things You are doing, so that I ‘do not dwell on the past’ (Isaiah 43:18)” (p14) The full verse Mr Banks points out says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” And that is such a major help when we are struggling with a prodigal! The enemy wants nothing more than for us prodigal parents to get caught up in the “shoulda, coulda, woulda’s” of life. Yet if we get stuck in the regrets of the past, how can we move forward and truly help our children now? We cannot. So this prayer that also reminds us that “God’s grace is sufficient” helps us take actions today to help our children come back to God and find His path for their lives. And this is the key to these prayers, mind you. It is not to get our prodigals to do what we want them to do, but to connect them with God who will show them His Way for their lives.
This is kind of an important point that I do not want to fluff over. A prodigal child is one who is rebelling against God and His Truth. It is not a child who simply has a different plan for their lives than mom and dad may have wanted. For instance, if parents dreamed of their child going to med school, but the child has no interest in the medical field but would rather seek a different occupation, that is usually not a prodigal. If however, a child begins to experiment with drugs or is promiscuous or is seeking shady ways to make a buck, then we are talking about a prodigal. The goal is to unite this troubled child with God who is the only One who can help straighten them out. This doesn’t mean we pray then throw our hands up in the air and do nothing practical! We must listen for God’s guidance and obey what He moves us to do. This means we must work on our own relationship with God too! Praying for our prodigal, not only connects God to them, but to us as well.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
July: Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey
August: Summer’s Soul Restorer “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23” by W Phillip Keller
September: Covering Our Children: “Prayers for the Prodigals” by James Banks
<>< Peace, Diane
