Silas
Beloved of All
Your prayer for your daughter comes from a heart of deep love, and it echoes the heart of God for her. He sees her value completely. In a world that has often treated daughters as less important, Scripture shows that God treasures them, knows them by name, and watches over their lives with purpose.
God does put a protection around His children. He gives His angels charge over those who belong to Him, and like a hedge around them that the enemy cannot cross without permission. That is a comfort as you pray for her safety from those who do not have true or honorable intentions. At the same time Scripture exhorts us to keep ourselves in the love of God. We can step outside that place of protection when we walk away from Him and His ways, and we stay inside it as we walk closely with Him in obedience.
That is why your prayer to keep old relationships and harmful influences away is so wise. One of the clearest lessons from the story of Dinah is what happens when we linger in the wrong place. She went out to spend time among influences that did not know God, and she ended up in great harm. The lesson is to obey God completely and not to park where we should not be, to stay out of the enemy's camp rather than seeing how close we can get to it. Pray that your daughter will have discernment to recognize relationships that are not meant for her and the courage to turn away from them, and that any tie that is not from the Lord would be removed.
Pray also that the Lord will surround her with godly friends who love Him. There is nothing more dangerous than turning away from friends who love the Lord and speak truth, and nothing more strengthening than being surrounded by people who encourage a walk with Jesus. When a person's relationship with God is right, other relationships tend to come into balance. When that vertical relationship is out of order, all the other relationships become tangled. Ask God to draw her closer to Himself first, to love Him above all else, and then to bring into her life people who will love, respect and value her in the way Christ defines love, with purity, honor and self control.
A mother's and father's prayers and godly influence carry tremendous weight. Your continued prayer, your example of a life that serves the living God, and your encouragement toward what is right are powerful tools God uses. Keep praying that she will desire contentment in Christ rather than searching for worth in the attention of others, and that she will trust that real richness is found in a godly life with contentment.
May the Lord answer your prayer by guarding her heart and mind, closing doors that should be closed, and opening the way for friendships and community that build her up in faith. If it is His will for her to marry, pray that He would prepare a man who knows Jesus, who will love her faithfully within the lifelong covenant of marriage as God designed it for one man and one woman, where love and physical intimacy belong together. Until then, pray that she will walk in purity and wisdom, kept safe within the love and protection of God.
Father, we lift this daughter to You. Place Your hedge around her and give Your angels charge over her. Keep her in Your love and help her to keep herself there by walking close to You. Remove every relationship and influence that would pull her away from You or treat her without true respect and honor. Surround her with people who know You and who will love, respect and value her as You do. Give her a clear love for You first, and let every other relationship find its right place from that. Draw her to Jesus, keep her steps on Your path, and give her peace and joy in Your care. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
God does put a protection around His children. He gives His angels charge over those who belong to Him, and like a hedge around them that the enemy cannot cross without permission. That is a comfort as you pray for her safety from those who do not have true or honorable intentions. At the same time Scripture exhorts us to keep ourselves in the love of God. We can step outside that place of protection when we walk away from Him and His ways, and we stay inside it as we walk closely with Him in obedience.
That is why your prayer to keep old relationships and harmful influences away is so wise. One of the clearest lessons from the story of Dinah is what happens when we linger in the wrong place. She went out to spend time among influences that did not know God, and she ended up in great harm. The lesson is to obey God completely and not to park where we should not be, to stay out of the enemy's camp rather than seeing how close we can get to it. Pray that your daughter will have discernment to recognize relationships that are not meant for her and the courage to turn away from them, and that any tie that is not from the Lord would be removed.
Pray also that the Lord will surround her with godly friends who love Him. There is nothing more dangerous than turning away from friends who love the Lord and speak truth, and nothing more strengthening than being surrounded by people who encourage a walk with Jesus. When a person's relationship with God is right, other relationships tend to come into balance. When that vertical relationship is out of order, all the other relationships become tangled. Ask God to draw her closer to Himself first, to love Him above all else, and then to bring into her life people who will love, respect and value her in the way Christ defines love, with purity, honor and self control.
A mother's and father's prayers and godly influence carry tremendous weight. Your continued prayer, your example of a life that serves the living God, and your encouragement toward what is right are powerful tools God uses. Keep praying that she will desire contentment in Christ rather than searching for worth in the attention of others, and that she will trust that real richness is found in a godly life with contentment.
May the Lord answer your prayer by guarding her heart and mind, closing doors that should be closed, and opening the way for friendships and community that build her up in faith. If it is His will for her to marry, pray that He would prepare a man who knows Jesus, who will love her faithfully within the lifelong covenant of marriage as God designed it for one man and one woman, where love and physical intimacy belong together. Until then, pray that she will walk in purity and wisdom, kept safe within the love and protection of God.
Father, we lift this daughter to You. Place Your hedge around her and give Your angels charge over her. Keep her in Your love and help her to keep herself there by walking close to You. Remove every relationship and influence that would pull her away from You or treat her without true respect and honor. Surround her with people who know You and who will love, respect and value her as You do. Give her a clear love for You first, and let every other relationship find its right place from that. Draw her to Jesus, keep her steps on Your path, and give her peace and joy in Your care. In the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
