Kristina Lunde

The Lord is my strength and my song.
Psalm 118:14a

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Mothers Praying for Prodigals

Several of my empty-nest mom-friends and I have entered a new phase in our prayer lives: praying for prodigal children. At one time, our children knew, loved, and followed Jesus. By the time these children became young adults, they had abandoned the faith of their childhood. As mothers, that inspired us to pray for our children’s return to the God who loves them.

Photo by Olivia Snow on Unsplash

In Luke 15:11-32, the biblical account of the prodigal son, the father waited expectantly for his estranged son to return home. The important detail not recorded is how long the father waited. I know mothers who have prayed and waited decades for their prodigals to return to Jesus. Time spent in prayer is much more productive than wondering and worrying about an estranged child. But I find it difficult to focus on the praying, not the worrying.

How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? Psalm 13:1-2

No one consistent reason compels young adults to walk away from their faith. Instead, many aspects of life and longing impact children who once believed in Jesus to become adults who do not. Their journey may involve being distracted from biblical priorities, neglecting connection with Jesus, choosing worldly pursuits, or rebelling against God. Sadly, these adult children no longer value God’s love, Jesus’ sacrifice, or the truths of God’s Word. And that motivates moms to pray.

Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. Psalm 4:1

Lord God, my child is your prodigal, a runaway from your love and forgiveness. Overcome the spiritual darkness that threatens to suffocate my child. Shine your Holy Spirit’s light of conviction, counsel, and comfort into my child’s life. Lord Jesus, accomplish your saving, redeeming work. Fill my prodigal’s mind with the truth of Jesus Christ, bringing forgiveness and freedom. Let my child once again be grounded in you, God.

Oh Lord, help me to see and listen, not jump in with my own solutions. I repent of what I have done wrong: nagging conversations, mother-smothering, pride-driven meddling, and even wanting to give up. Lord, forgive me for what I have not done: not listened to your leading, not controlled my temper, and not recognized my child’s pain.

After he had squandered his inheritance, the biblical prodigal son came home. Convicted and repentant, the son returned to his father with humility and a willingness to serve. Luke 15:20 says, “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” We do not find out how many months or years had transpired. Instead, the Bible focuses on the father’s joyous and loving greeting.

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Psalm 17:6

Father God, draw my prodigal back to you. You love my child more than I ever could. Convince my child to return to you in honesty and repentance, in order to experience your forgiveness and perfect love. Please help me to be a faithful mother who never stops praying. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Labor on Through Christ in Me

“I labor on in weakness and rejoicing.”

Those lyrics from the song “Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me” by Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, and Michael Farren gripped me when we sang it during church last Sunday.

The labor reference brought to mind work, toil, and suffering. I didn’t think of that kind of labor, although pregnancy-induced labor can simultaneously end in weakness and rejoicing. But then I remembered how God intervened decades ago during my emergency delivery. His miracle came after I labored through low heart rate episodes and other signs of my baby’s distress. God provided an expert obstetrical surgery team and brought me through my weakness to rejoicing at our healthy baby’s birth.

I need to remember those past miracles and trust God in my present circumstances. Thankfully, I am not enduring crushing labor pains, horrendous setbacks, or debilitating health crises. In contrast, those on my prayer list face serious problems: a critically-ill hospitalized baby, three friends coping with their spouse’s sudden death, and two people facing final battles after years of cancer treatments. Yet I feel weak and weary at my everyday frustrations with people, schedules, and things that break.

The song “Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me” portrays how I can trust in Christ through my current challenges. In his blogpost, Cru speaker and author Dan Flynn praises the biblical nature of these lyrics. He lists over twenty attributes of Jesus mentioned in this song. Many are evident in the second verse and refrain:

The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Savior He will stay
I labor on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed.

To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me
Through the deepest valley He will lead
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.

That same phrase, “labor on in weakness and rejoicing,” has struck me before. The combo of weakness and rejoicing sounds like an oxymoron until viewed through a biblical lens. God’s power fills my inadequacy, as the song proclaims, “for in my need, His power is displayed.” I don’t have the strength to push myself past my own weaknesses. I need God to strengthen me for my tasks, a relationship Paul describes so well:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Only Jesus Christ can empower me to get through my stuff, whether serious or inconsequential. When I take my eyes off Him and try to pursue my own ideas in vain independence, I disobey God’s will and purposes for me. My prayers come from my vantage point in the front row where I see friends and family dealing with so much. Although tired of interceding for God’s relief of their suffering, I know that when I get derailed into my own pity party, I become self-focused and my prayer life declines.

Lord God, convict me of my
focus on self-sufficiency instead of trusting in you,
blindness to my need for your power,
and pursuit of my personal comfort instead of helping others.
Teach me to rely only on You as “I labor on in weakness and rejoicing.” In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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A Prayer for Israel

Image by MaciejJaszczolt from Pixabay

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” Psalm 122:6-7 NIV

Lord God,
I pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the protection of Israel. My heart is heavy for a people I don’t know and a place I have never visited. But you know, Lord. These are your people, dear God, who you called through Abraham. You promised to make them into a great nation, bless them, and bless all nations on earth through them. (Genesis 12:2-3).

Lord, next week marks one year after the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas militant groups. The militants killed over a thousand people and took hundreds hostage. Although a shock to Israel and the rest of the world, these events are no surprise to you, Lord. Since that horrific day, tens of thousands of people have been killed, many of them civilians. The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic. Lord God, please reach these devastated people on both sides of the conflict with your love, truth, and provision.

God, you are sovereign and I pray for your will to be done, even when I don’t understand these tragic events.

But I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my enemies, from those who pursue me. Psalm 31:14-15

King David prayed these words during battle, and I pray them for your people in their current conflict. Lord, let the people of Israel look to you as their God. Teach them to trust that these times are in your hands. Deliver them from their enemies, from those who attack and pursue them. Unify your people in Israel, unify them in love and zeal for you. As you prophesied through Zechariah (Zechariah 12:10), please send a spirit of grace and supplication on your people. Let them look to you, dear Lord.

I pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the protection of Israel. Your will be done, Lord God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Vacation Bible School: A Volunteer’s Prayer

Dear Lord God,

I pray that you develop the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of all the children and volunteers during our Vacation Bible School (VBS) this summer. Bring the content, logistics, volunteers, and children together to fulfill Your purposes for this ministry.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

Image by Tep Ro from Pixabay

Lord, let Your love fill and direct us as we teach these precious children.

Please inspire everyone involved in VBS to find and express joy in you, dear Jesus.

Let your peace fill our church and the grounds while the children play, craft, and learn the VBS lesson themes.

Give the volunteers patience to meet the needs of these children.

Provide opportunities for us to show kindness and goodness in all interactions with children.

Develop faithfulness in us as we teach and love these children in Your name, dear Jesus.

Guide us in gentleness toward the children, especially when they need to be admonished or redirected.

Work in us self-control, as we teach the children to develop the same in their interactions with others.

Lord God, please grow the fruit of your Spirit in everyone involved in this VBS program. Let all that we do in this ministry bring you honor and glory. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Wife. Mother. Nurse. Writer.
Forgiven by Jesus. Child of God’s.
Wounded - Restored.
Widowed - Remarried.
Kristina Lunde.
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