March 30

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Isaiah 43:2

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

There are things our prodigals may be involved in that we never know about, but our minds imagine them! During those times, it’s comforting to know God has a good grip on them. It doesn’t mean they won’t come close to drowning or get singed a little but those bad choices won’t destroy them as long as God’s hand is securely on them. Placing my trust in Him allows me to sleep at night in peace.

Be at peace as you pray this over your prodigal today…

Isaiah 43:2

When _____ passes through the waters, I will be with him/her; and when _____ passes through the rivers, they will not sweep over him/her. When _____ walks through the fire, he/she will not be burned; the flames will not set him/her ablaze.

March 29

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Job 23:10

But He knows the way I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

Sometimes I feel like all of life is a test. Certainly, the testing is more difficult at times than others. I heard Graham Cooke say once, “We never fail a test with God, He’ll allow us to take it over and over.” God is so kind in His approach to teaching us how to walk this life in victory.

Like metal being purified by the flame, what we really think and believe will be revealed when we are put to the test and our feet to the fire! May our prodigals “come forth as gold” after times of testing…

Job 23:10

But He knows the way _____ takes; when He has tested him/her, _____ will come forth as gold.

March 28

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Psalm 103:10-12

He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

East and west can never meet…what a beautiful picture of God’s great love for us! Because of Christ, we are forgiven and He has no memory of our sin.

Let’s pray our prodigal will fear and respect a Sovereign God, yet realize the great love He has for them.

Psalm 103:10-12

He does not treat ______ as his/her sins deserve or repay ______ according to his/her iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for _______; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed _______’s transgressions from him/her.

March 27

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John 8:31-32, 36

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciple. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!

It’s clear that our prodigals are being deceived. If it’s not self-deception, it’s lies of the enemy. Jesus himself is Truth; the perfect standard of what is right. He alone can set prodigals free from the lifestyle of sin and the consequences that follow.

I was looking at the meaning of the words “hold to”…

~ to hold with tenacity; to grasp; maintain close contact with; continue to follow (as a ship holding a course); keep possession of; refuse to abandon or change ~

I love the picture this brings to mind. To hold with tenacity to what Jesus has said and maintain close contact is what brings true freedom. It may be as simple as knowing just how very much God loves us. But with truth always comes freedom.

May our prodigal be set free from all the deception surrounding them, hold the course refusing to abandon the truth of Christ and be free indeed.

John 8:31-32, 36

Jesus said, “If ______ holds to my teaching, he/she is really my disciple. Then ______ will know the truth, and the truth will set him/her free. So if the Son sets ______free, he/she will be free indeed!

March 26

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Joel 2:13

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Here is the same verse in The Message:

“Change your life, not just your clothes. Come back to God, your God. And here’s why: God is kind and merciful. He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot, this most patient God, extravagant in love, always ready to cancel catastrophe.”

We serve a most patient God. Under grace we know we are forgiven by the blood of Christ. But, He still wants more than the outward motions of repentance (“talk is cheap” so to say). God wants to see a changed heart. He is the only one who will really ever know how deep the change goes.

Our prayer for our prodigals should be that they will repent, not only outwardly, but have a heart that is broken over their sin…

Joel 2:13

Rend your heart, _______ and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, _______, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.

March 25

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Psalm 40:1-3

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.

I love the picture this passage evokes in my mind. No matter how muddy and yucky a prodigal becomes there is still, underneath it all, a person of worth that is valuable to the Kingdom. The “waiting patiently” part is probably hard for a prodigal, but during that time of waiting, God will teach them so much.

The fact that He will set our prodigal’s feet on a firm and level place is so comforting. I love that about God, He will do this thing right if I will have patience too.

The best part of this verse to me is, when people see what God has done in my prodigal’s life it will affect them. This new “hymn of praise” will draw them to put their trust in God. People will see the song in them!

May this encourage you to keep on praying and trusting as you patiently wait…

Psalm 40:1-3

______ waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to him/her and heard his/her cry. He lifted ______ out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set his/her feet on a rock and gave ______ a firm place to stand. He put a new song in ______’s mouth, a hymn of praise to his/her God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.

March 24

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Jeremiah 20:11-12 (NLT)

But the Lord stands beside me like a great warrior. Before Him my persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat me. They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated. Their dishonor will never be forgotten. O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, You test those who are righteous, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.

I love watching a fierce battle when the good guys win, don’t you? We will be engaged in battle as long as we live on this side of heaven. It’s just part of living in a fallen world who’s ruler is the prince of darkness. Picturing God as a mighty warrior looming over my enemy with no one other than me by His side is an encouraging visual. I see myself standing there, dwarfed by His size, and beaming because I know we have won before the battle ever begins.

In my mind I can also see God standing with my prodigal against the enemies of their life. Those enemies are already defeated! It gives me such confidence to picture them side by side in this battle while I am on the sidelines cheering them on.

I pray the eyes of the prodigal will be opened to the victory before them because they have committed their cause to the Lord.

Jeremiah 20:11-12 (NLT)

But the Lord stands beside ______ like a great warrior. Before Him ______’s persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat him/her. They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated. Their dishonor will never be forgotten. O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, You test those who are righteous, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let ________ see your vengeance against them, for ______ has committed his/her cause to you.

March 23

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Matthew 11:28-29

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

The picture of a yoke seems contradictory to rest doesn’t it? Any load pulled with a yoke, though, is a shared burden. God’s asking us to yoke ourselves to Him as He helps shoulder our burdens as well as teaches us about His gentleness and humility. Also, what we yoke ourselves to has the power of influence over us; we are a captive audience to it.

If our prodigal has yoked themselves to the world, they will not experience the peace and rest that being yoked to a gentle and humble Savior can provide. Pray they will willingly take on His yoke.

Matthew 11:28-29

Come to me, ______, you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, ______, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

March 22

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Isaiah 55:8-9

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways, my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

When we don’t understand how our prodigal’s lives are playing out, we can take comfort in knowing there is someone much wiser guiding the process. God knows what He’s doing and my finite mind cannot understand all the ways the creator of the universe is working on a prodigal’s behalf. The way I would do it is probably not the way God is doing it. Just know that God has our prodigal’s best interest at heart. As much as we love them, He loves them more.

Isaiah 55:8-9

For my thoughts are not ______’s thoughts, neither are his/her ways, my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than ______’s ways and my thoughts than his/her thoughts.”

March 21

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Psalm 61:1-4

Hear my cry O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

As in the parable, prodigals have to come to the end of themselves before crying out for help and being willing to make a change. And the Father is the best place they can run. He is a strong tower and will accept them with love and grace.

When, in the difficulties of life, the faint-hearted prodigal is driven to find a new place to run, may it be to the rock that is higher!

Psalm 61:1-4

Hear ______’s cry O God; listen to his/her prayer. From the ends of the earth ______ calls to you, ______ calls as his/her heart grows faint; lead ______ to the rock that is higher than he/she. For you have been ______’s refuge, a strong tower against the foe. ______ longs to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.