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This is an extract from 5 Things to Pray for Your Parents by Chelsea Stanley to help you pray for your parents, that they would find their joy in our everlasting God rather than the temporary things of this world. Below are five prayer prompts based on Psalm 16 v 8-11.
God, true happiness comes from you. Grant my parents...
“I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16 v 8).
In a world filled with constant distractions, pray that your parents would keep their eyes on the Lord and place their hope firmly in Christ, who fills us with all joy. Pray that whatever sorrows or trials may come in the future—or already cloud the present—your parents would not be shaken, because God is with them.
“Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices” (Psalm 16 v 9).
David, the writer of this psalm, was satisfied in the Lord, calling him “my portion and my cup” (v 5). “Therefore,” he sang, “my heart is glad.” Pray that your parents, like David, would rejoice in God and delight in his presence and provision.
“My body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead” (Psalm 16 v 9-10).
So often it’s fear that robs our joy. Your mom and dad may look to financial advisors, doctors, government programs, or family for security. While these people and services can offer some peace of mind, pray that your parents would find their ultimate security in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“You make known to me the path of life” (Psalm 16 v 11).
Pray that God would show your parents the path of life. We can’t find this path on our own. We need God to make it known to us through Jesus, who is himself “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14 v 6).
“You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16 v 11).
Jesus is the King who will sit at the right hand of the Father forever, experiencing the full joy of heaven with the people he redeemed. Pray that, more and more, your parents would eagerly anticipate the eternal pleasures awaiting those who follow Christ— and that this would give them joy today.
The Bible calls us to honour our parents—and one way we can do that is by praying for them. Little children often see their mothers and fathers as the ones with all the answers. It’s not until we grow up that we realise our parents are just like us—regular people in need of prayer.
This guide will help you to pray rich, intentional prayers for your mother or father—be they biological or adoptive, working or retired, frail or fit, married or separated, believers or unbelievers. Whatever their situation, if we want to love them well, we need to pray. Find out more about 5 Things to Pray for Your Parents.
Chelsea Stanley is a child of God, wife, and mother of three young boys. She is a member of Crossway Community Church in Bristol, Wisconsin where she serves with the women’s ministry team. Chelsea has written for Desiring God, Risen Motherhood, and The Gospel Coalition, and she loves helping adult children apply the truth of the gospel to their parental relationships. Connect with her on Instagram or Facebook.
