How did the Prodigal's Father pray for his son while he was away

I have been in a "conversation" with a Pastor online about what we should pray for in Praying for people's salvation.

The Prodigal's salvation is always a part of that conversation. Most of us come to Jesus in the storm.

We seldom come to Jesus when we have plenty of money, good health, a great marriage, good kids, a great job, sound relationships and everything.

We come broken. Sweetly broken, but broken. In a storm. In change. In trouble. People no longer believe in HELL so preaching and praying to keep them out of a hell they don't accept is of little avail.

Not the emotional. Truly repentant. Sorrow for past deeds, attitudes and behaviors.

So, when the father in the parable prayed, as I'm sure he did, what did he pray?

Protect my boy from harm, keep him safe warm well fed, get him a good job, marry a rich woman and give him a great life out there in the world among the friends he has chosen.

OR,

Lord, bring that boy home. Help him to learn all the hard lessons. Help him to come quickly to the end of himself. Put him in a place quickly where he will see the futility of Life without repentance.

I suspect the latter.

Yet we pray the former.

If you have a wayward, a prodigal, a friend, a son, someone. What would be, what should be the right thing to pray?

More important, if you encounter a prodigal along the way, running from God, running from repentance. What should you do. Give him or her three squares, a warm bed, a hot shower and money you might need.

If God brought him or her to this place and you do, perhaps you are by your actions delaying the very process to bring them back to HIM. Not all compassion is compassionate.

Long ago I was rebuked by a Prophet for my unfettered compassion. I had a great deal of money and helped anyone down on their luck. He didn't know me, but he told me in no uncertain terms that God was upset with the roadblocks to repentance I kept putting up by my unwise charity.

I learned from that. I do not often support every homeless and prison ministry. Many of Those are people who have not yet eaten enough pea pods with the swine to turn around.

RE-PENT...As it were..turning around.

----God would not that ANY perish but that ALL people come to repentance..2 peter 3:9

Just get out of the way and stop the enabling.