Happy Father’s Day! I’m grateful for my Dad being a wonderful father to my sister Kelly and me – and now Dad is a beloved G-Daddy, too. I’m also blessed with a wonderful father-in-law, Tom, who is a beloved Pops. 

At church this weekend, we had a special prayer for fathers. The prayer is my edited version of a prayer that was shared with me. Here it is:

Heavenly Father, as we celebrate Father’s Day, we thank You that You are our Father. In your grace and care, You are the Father to the fatherless. You are perfect, holy, and loving. We praise you for fathers who model your love and kindness.

For fathers who serve and sacrifice, who comfort and live courageously, who give grace and point us to You, we give you thanks and praise.

For those who became fathers for the first time, fill their hearts with joy and their bodies with rest.

For those waiting new life and the joy of being a father next year, we pray for a healthy birth in the year ahead and great celebration next Father’s Day.

For those who long to be fathers and grandfathers, but issues of marriage, infertility, miscarriage and life not happening on our time, we ask for Your peace and presence in the pain and Your plan and purpose for their present and future life.

For fathers who will become empty nesters in the year ahead, we pray for great memories and moments that will launch their child into the future and fulfill their joy in this new season of parenting.

For those who lost fathers, we ask for Your comfort and peace.

For foster dads, mentor dads, and spiritual dads, we thank You for their wisdom and praise You for their love.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your great love in Jesus. When the storms come in parenting, turn our eyes to Jesus so that dads and moms can lead their families to know and praise Jesus.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13)