1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: And he arose and came to his father. But when 2 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: he was yet a great way off, his father saw 3 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his 4 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: neck and kissed him. Luke fifteen twenty. Dear Lord, thank 5 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: you for never giving up on me. You have never 6 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: once written me off or left me alone. Even when 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 1: I wander away from you and squander your blessing, you 8 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: allow me to return and welcome me with love and grace. 9 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 1: I pray you would imbue me with the same unrelenting 10 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: love for my children. I want them to know that 11 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: there is nothing they can do to make me or 12 00:00:55,400 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: you stop loving them. May my unwavering affection for them 13 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: be an image of your love. 14 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 2: Lord. 15 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: May they intimately know your love for them because of 16 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: the way I treat them. In Jesus' name, Amen, thank 17 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's 18 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: free podcast Meditative Prayers with doctor Tim Clinton, where you 19 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: can draw close to God and find strength in him. 20 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 2: Welcome to your meditative prayer on Great Parenting. To get 21 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:39,119 Speaker 2: the most out of your spiritual journey, uspray dot com. 22 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 2: Every day, make prayer priority in your life. Our goal 23 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 2: for today's meditative prayer is great parenting. I hope you'll 24 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 2: take a moment to calm down, get to a place 25 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 2: where you can recline, maybe relax, close your eyes, breathe easy. 26 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 2: Let the realization that God is waiting and wanting to 27 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 2: speak with you fill your thoughts. We're going to be 28 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 2: meditating on Luke fifteen, verse twenty from the King James version. 29 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:20,679 Speaker 2: I love this story. And he arose, and he came 30 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 2: to his father. But when he was yet a great 31 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and 32 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 2: ran and fell on his neck, and he kissed him. 33 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: Let's take a time to adore God for his unending compassion. 34 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 2: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, 35 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 2: the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, 36 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 2: who comforts us in all of our affliction. God, I 37 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: praise you that you are my compassion it Father. Your 38 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: love is always willing to receive me when I call 39 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: on you. I worship you, for you have forgiven all 40 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: my sins, and you have cast them, and every one 41 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 2: of them, into the sea of forgetfulness. You know, our 42 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 2: heavenly Father teaches us to show compassion in the face 43 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 2: of contrition. Expecting perfection from your child pretty illogical and impractical. 44 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 2: Your child's going to make mistakes. Some mistakes will be 45 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 2: an accident, some will be on purpose. Still, God expects 46 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 2: you to be compassionate and carried. The prodigal son returned 47 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 2: home was the result of his repentance. His father had 48 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 2: every reason to reject him, yet he embraced him. The 49 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 2: father saw the child's contrition and had compassion on him. 50 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: Past sins were forgiven and were forgotten. Perhaps you're struggling 51 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 2: with having compassion toward your child's sin. Confess your shortcomings 52 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 2: to God, Your heavenly Father. Isn't Your heavenly Father is 53 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 2: waiting to embrace you. Now take a moment to dwell 54 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 2: in the compassion of God in your life. Give thought 55 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: to your seasons of rebellion and recklessness, the times when 56 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: you knowingly and willingly walked away from your heavenly Father. 57 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 2: Think about how he patiently waited for your return. Remember 58 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 2: how he lovingly welcomed you home, regardless of where you'd 59 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 2: been or what you had done. God rescued and renewed you. 60 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 2: Thank Him for his past, loving kindness and compassion towards you. 61 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 2: Thank him because he will never change. Thank him because 62 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:31,359 Speaker 2: he will always love you and take you back. You 63 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,479 Speaker 2: know what I love that God is present and that 64 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 2: He's listening to you right now. And if you're struggling 65 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 2: in your efforts to raise your child, don't give up. 66 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 2: Lean heavily on your heavenly Father and learn from him. 67 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 2: Don't allow the daily struggles of life to impact your 68 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: love for your child. Ask God to teach you to 69 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 2: love your child as He loves you. Ask the Holy 70 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 2: Spirit to teach you to be patient and kind. Ask 71 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit to help you push past the hurt, 72 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 2: the chaos and into His healing hands. To let go 73 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 2: of your child's mistakes when they show you recognition and repentance. 74 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 2: Remember God has called you to show compassion in the 75 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:28,720 Speaker 2: face of contrition. When your child comes to you and remorse, 76 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: don't ever send them away. Embrace them. Show your child 77 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 2: the same love and compassion and acceptance that God has 78 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 2: shown you. Children are a blessing from the Lord, and 79 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 2: the Lord will help you raise them. Be confident in 80 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 2: the love and compassion your heavenly Father has toward you, 81 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 2: and allow his everlasting love to flow through you into 82 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 2: your relationship with your child. Thank you for completing today's 83 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 2: meditative prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy 84 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: habit as a daily practice, you're making prayer a priority 85 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 2: and strengthening your walk with God. I'm doctor Tim Clinton, 86 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 2: President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, and we 87 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 2: love being a part of your life.