As parents, we want the best for our daughters, and that includes a perfect mate. Many of us pray that our daughters will marry a man who is a dedicated believer who is equipped to lead and teach her and his family. We also pray that he will be motivated by a sincere desire to glorify God through his life and the life of his family. We hope that he will be faithful in his church attendance and service in the church. Ultimately, we want our daughters and their husbands to be able to say, 'I see your flaws and imperfections, but underneath, I see what God wants to make you. I want to be a part of that.' While it may initially seem presumptuous, praying for a perfect husband for your daughter isn't.

In fact, it's biblical. James 1:17 tells us, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." The truth is, if you are seeking God's ways and following His principles, the husband God brings into your daughter's life will be a perfect gift from Him. Here are seven prayers for daughters to meet a godly husband.

A prayer for perfect timing.

When God sends your daughter the perfect man she is called to be with, she will know. This man will speak not to her flesh but to her spirit. She will experience something with him that she has never experienced before. He will love her in ways that other men don't, and it will be so worth it when they finally meet.

If you are praying that your daughter meets the man that God has called her to be with, pray this special prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for my daughter's future husband, wherever he may be. I pray that godly men and women surround him to guide him in his journey with you. I pray that he is upholding Your Word, and if he does not yet know you, I pray that you will reveal Yourself to Him. Grant her patience until Your perfect timing. May we honor You in all we do, even know. Thank You, Jesus that Your perfect plan is not one second early or late. Amen.

A prayer for direction.

As Christian parents, we pray for our children each day. God has entrusted our daughters to us. We know the Lord knows better than we do what she goes through on a daily basis. We know that God can get closer to her, take care of her, free her, protect her and heal her. Your daughter deserves a husband who is after God's own heart and who is completely in love with Jesus.

If you entrust your daughter to God and trust the direction He will lead her and her future husband, pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that the Lord gives my daughter's future husband wisdom to desire Your plan above the ways of the world. I pray that You form her husband into the man You want him to be, the man she simply wants him to be. Amen.

A prayer to lead in the ways of Jesus.

Your daughter's future husband must be equipped to lead in the ways of Jesus so that he can disciple and be a great example to your daughter and her children. It's important that he is reminded of God's unconditional love for him and that he reflects that love every day.

If these are all desires you have for your daughter's future husband, pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for my daughter's future husband today. May You fill his heart with joy as You remind him of Your love for Him. Reveal to him his value and purpose. I pray that You would build up and transform him into the man You desire him to be. I pray against the temptation that tries to lure his heart into sin. I claim freedom and bondage and freedom from darkness in Jesus' name! I pray that he matures in his role as husband. Equip him to lead us through Your ways, in Jesus' name. Amen.

A prayer for a Godly man.

Your daughter deserves a man who is after God's own heart, not just someone who goes to church. Someone who is intentional about following Jesus, someone who is not looking for someone to date, but a man who will love your daughter, not just for her looks, her body or how much money she makes but because of who she is in Christ. Her future husband should see her inward beauty more than her outward beauty.

Along the way, she'll have to tell a few guys no in order for the real man to step forward, and when it happens, it will be a beautiful sight. If you pray that your daughter's future husband be after God's heart, pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that You bless the man my daughter ends up with, that He seeks You first above all else. May You bless the man he is trying to be. May You erase the fears of my daughter's past and create in them a bright future. May he be slow to anger and quick to forgive. Amen.

A prayer for maturity.

Naturally, a primary prayer for a future son-in-law would be for him to enter into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We desire that our daughter's spouse would be considerate and sensitive, a giving, loving Christian man who can place others' needs before his own without losing his identity.

If you pray that your daughter's future mate becomes all he can be for God, pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray for my daughter's future spouse. I pray for his heart. May You continue to mature him in mighty ways. I pray that he will love you passionately. May You and him have an incredibly deep relationship. I pray that he will open his heart to You. I pray that he comes to You in prayer and is vulnerable about the things he is facing in this life. I pray that he relies on You for help and guidance. Fill him with Your wisdom. Amen.

A prayer for spiritual growth.

We must pray for God to make your child's future spouse a man after God's own heart, a maturing Christian who can take a spiritual leader role that encourages your daughter toward deeper spiritual growth. It's also important that you pray that God helps your daughter's spouse become a master of good, uplifting communication so that he relates and reflects Christ to his family.

If you pray that your daughter's future spouse does these things, pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray a special blessing over my daughter's future husband today. I also pray for his protection. Please remove any temptation or evil that is attempting to make him fall, get hurt or turn from You. Guard his heart and cover him with Your peace. If there are any situations or circumstances that cause him pain, I pray that You would heal him and make his heart whole. Amen.

A prayer for a personal relationship with God.

When you pray for your daughter's future spouse, pray that he has a close relationship with God. Pray that her first love will always be Jesus. Everything – and everyone – else will come and go, but God will always be there. If you pray that your daughter's future spouse will walk humbly with God, pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray my daughter's future husband would have a strong understanding of who You are and how You are moving in his life. I pray his heart is full of discernment and is sensitive to Your Holy Spirit. I pray that He is willing to address His emotions and doesn't push them away. Soften his heart so he is always willing to yield to You in humbleness. I also pray that he will embrace all that You have for him and that he is passionate about serving You joyfully. May he continue to experience intimacy with you. Amen.

We can recognize that our daughters will marry humans, which means they will marry sinners. Their husbands won’t be perfect. They will most likely not meet every qualification on our wish list, and that’s ok. Our daughters are sinners, too. God cares about our daughter’s likes and dislikes, needs and wants and desires to send them a mate who is just perfect for them. Our intent as praying parents is not to pray for the perfect spouse for our child, though that is certainly our desire, but to see our child’s spouse become all he can be for God. What good and perfect gifts are you praying into your daughter’s life?