The LORD will perfect that which concerns me; 

Your mercy, O LORD, endures forever;

Do not forsake the works of Your hands.

Psalm 138:8 NKJV

The LORD will perfect that which concerns me. My children concern me. My family concerns me. My friends concern me. My utmost desire is that they know Jesus and walk with Him.

The story Jesus told of the prodigal son in Luke 15 helps me as I pray for those which concern me. One son left his father and his home to go to a distant country (Luke 15:13). If you have a prodigal you care about, you know how the father felt. 

So I pray for God to:

1. Protect them from the evil one, especially while they are in the “distant country.” I borrow the words of Jesus, Deliver us (them) from the evil one (Matthew 6:13 CSB). The evil one, Satan, wants to steal, and kill and destroy (John 10:10 NASB) the life and plans God has for them.

2. Enable them to come to their senses. After losing all he owned and trying to survive in a severe famine, the son came to his senses (Luke 15:17 NASB). I see this as the first step in coming to or back to God. While in denial or deception, people are unlikely to change.

3. Lead them to repentance. Repentance involves changing the mind and turning to God. Once the son came to his senses, he had to make a choice. He could continue living in destructive, worthless ways, or he could change his mind and his actions. After some reasoning, he got up and came to his father (Luke 15:20 NASB).

4. Show them kindness since God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance (Romans 2:4 CSB).

5. Lead them to godly sorrow and salvation. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV).

   Father, continue to perfect that which concerns us. Thank you for showing us ways to pray for those in the distant country.

   Terri Vardeman