A Prayer For Fathers Day

 Today is a day to honour fathers.  Some of you are fathers.  All of us have a father.  The relationship of a loving father to his child is a picture of God's heart for us.

Nothing stirs a father’s heart more than looking at his newborn child.  We love to see a dad carrying his little one on his chest in a baby carrier.  Squeals of joy come out of the mouth of a toddler as a dad throws them in the air and catches them again in his strong arms.  There's a natural God-given desire in a father to care for his child, to protect that child even to the point of laying down his own life on behalf of the child.  This is God's heart for you and me.

A father is tender and kind to his children.  In the same way, the Lord is tender and kind to those who have respect for him.  Psalm 103:13

Some of us have suffered the abuse or absence of a father and that is a significant issue in our journey.  This is where God makes the gracious offer to be the good father we never had, to care for us and meet our needs for the safety and protection which our earthly father either couldn't or didn't provide.  Only a father's love can meet that deep need within us. 

Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close.

Psalm 27:10

Whatever our past, whether it’s being well-loved, or wounded and abandoned by our father, or even being disappointed in ourselves as a father, God invites us today to make a connection to His family.  Our Heavenly Father will receive us as His precious children.  He will love and care for us and heal our wounds. 

Let’s come to Him, first of all with the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray that begins with the words, “Our Father” and then we’ll add a few more of our own.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven Give us this day our daily bread and Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.  For Yours is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen

Heavenly Father, You gave life to us.  You knit us together in our mother’s womb.  You know us.  You’re familiar with our personality and all the things that have gone on in our life.   It’s your desire every day, including today to lavish your love on us.  Your plan for us has always been filled with hope and purpose.

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:50

Thank You for inviting us into Your family and making a way for that to happen through the death and resurrection of Jesus.  We receive Your love today.  We want to walk in Your ways, do Your will and live as Your beloved children.

In the safety of Your loving care, help us to sort out any issues we may have with our earthly fathers and find healing and restoration.  You are particularly close to us when we make these kinds of efforts to find healing and to live whole. 

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21

Like any good dad You are carefully marking out a path forward for us that has safe places to walk and boundaries at the edges so we don’t wander off and trip and fall and hurt ourselves.  Help us to trust Your leading and walk in the path You have put before us. 

Forgive us for the times we live in self-will and we grieve Your heart because we do harm to ourselves and others and cause pain. 

Thank you for being the perfect father.  Thank you for promising to always be there if we would just seek for You.  Thank You blessing us today and protecting us.  Thank you for making Your face shine on us and being gracious to us.  Thank you for turning Your face toward us and giving us peace. 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26  Amen