My Daughter's Perfect Husband

photo: freedigitalphotos.net

 A kind friend gave me a new purse the other day. My old one was looking pretty shabby. Prior to the gifting, we  talked about what makes a good purse. Her ideas were a little different than mine. "It's gotta be big," she said, "with lots of room for my stuff."

"Oh, not for me," I disagreed, "if it's too big, it hurts my shoulder. For me, the perfect purse is a little smaller, with an outside pocket for my cell phone and keys."

Later that week, she presented me with a "Just Because" gift of a pretty new purse. Not too big. An outside pocket for my keys and cell phone. Just a touch of bling.

"It's perfect!" I exclaimed in delight.

Each month I pray for my daughters using a prayer guide called The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children by Stormie Omartian. This month's topic of prayer was that my adult children would "enjoy a successful marriage and raise godly children." The model prayer at the end of the chapter begins with these words, "Lord, I pray for (name of adult child) and ask that you would give him(her) the perfect wife(husband)."

As I began to pray these words, I was tempted to correct them. Well, I thought, no one is perfect. It's presumptuous to pray for perfect husbands for my daughters. That's asking a lot, isn't it? I mean, perfect?"

Over the next few days, though, God showed me that praying for a perfect husband for my daughters is not presumptuous. It's biblical.

Let me show you why.

James 1:17 tells us that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights."

Although neither of my daughters are married, because they are seeking God's ways and following His principles, the husband God brings into their lives will be a perfect gift from Him.

More so, I believe he will be perfect.

 Listen to God's description of a perfect man:

Genesis 6:9:  "Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." 

1Kings 15:14: "Asa's heart was perfect with the LORD all his days."

2 Kings 20:3:  "Remember now how I (Hezekiah) have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight."

 Job 1:1: "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and avoided evil."

As we consider these men whom God called perfect, we realize that each man was flawed. Yet God still called them perfect.

The Hebrew lexicon defines the word "perfect" in this way:  {perfect: or, upright}. God's idea of a perfect man is not one who is flawless, but one who seeks with all his heart to be upright, godly, faithful, and above reproach. We know that Noah, Asa, Hezekiah, and Job were all flawed men, yet they loved God and sought to honor and obey Him.

I pray God sends my daughters a perfect husband. It is a prayer that is not presumptuous or unrealistic. I believe it is God's will for them. 

What good and perfect gifts are you praying into your children's lives?

Like my friend listened to my likes and dislikes, considered my needs and wants, and found a perfect purse for me, God cares about our children's likes and dislikes, needs and wants, and desires to send them a mate who is just perfect for them. As praying mothers and fathers, we can help accomplish God's will in our children's lives by claiming His promises on their behalf.

And a perfect husband or wife is WAY more important than a perfect purse!

Will you join me in praying God's good and perfect gifts into our children's lives?

"Lord, I pray now for (name of adult child) and ask that You would give him(her) the perfect wife(husband). Bring a godly, believing woman(man) into his(her) life who will be with him(her) for the rest of their lives in a fulfilling and happy marriage. I pray that she(he) will have purity of heart, plus a nature and character that is gracious, kind, giving, and loving. I pray that they will always be attracted to one another in a way that is lasting. Amen." (The Power of a Praying Parent, Omartian, p. 192).

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