A Father's Day Prayer for Those Far from Their Dads
By Meg Bucher
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
"Can you hear me ... it's windy hear today."
Every morning, doggo walking alongside, I pop my air pods in and call my dad. Often, we talk through the entirety of my three-mile walk. Clearly, we're very close. It's something I don't take lightly as we both grow older. It was a difficult adjustment when they moved from down the street to across the country ten years ago. Younger than all the other dads and retired by the time I had my first baby girl, he ran errands, went on walks, and had adventures with my girls and me every day when they were little. Whenever we're together, the laughter is endless. The physical loss of his company felt somber as I learned to navigate my days without him by my side. That's when the daily calls began. A few years ago, I flew down instantly after my mom got into an accident on her bike. It was the first time the three of us had been together since my sister and brother were born four and five years behind me. After that, I made it a tradition to spend a week with them every year, just the three of us. It's time I'll never regret spending with them. Now, my parents visit us up north in the summertime, but I know the painful sting of being halfway across the country from my dad on Father's Day. A call from thousands of miles away isn't the same as an in-person hug.
For those who are far from, or without, their dads this Father's Day, know you are not alone in how you feel. We look to our heavenly Father for comfort today, as we miss being near our dads here on earth. Whether we are parted from our fathers by distance, divorce, or death, prayer is God's gift of comfort. When we don't understand, we can turn to Him knowing He holds all the answers.
Let's Pray:
Father, praise You for our fathers here on earth. We know that you placed them perfectly and precisely in our lives. And though life doesn't always look on this earth like we feel it should in our hearts, we trust Your perfect love, plan, and purpose. Thank You for our dads. Without them, we would cease to be. They are part of your plan for our lives.
Some dads provide for us in ways that simply amaze us. Dedicated to their families, they work countless hours to foster our happiness and dreams. Other fathers are gifted at connecting with us emotionally, guiding and encouraging us down hard paths and through difficult journeys of decision. Thank You for their faithful pursuit of You and diligence in pointing us to You, too.
Some of us don't know who our dads are or have adopted dads with whom You have blessed our lives. Still, others of us mourn the complete loss of our fathers through death on this earth and desperately need to remember Your goodness, Lord. When Father's Day reminds us of the gaping hole they have left in our hearts, heal any hurts we harbor, and help us to hold on to all of the love we have experienced from our relationship with them.
Help us to find peace in Your will for our lives and their absence. In the ways of the world that we don't understand, swoop in with Your Spirit and remind us that we don't need to understand …and sometimes can't. In our faith, we trust You and Your love for us. Help us to fill in the gaps that we are incapable of.
Fathers living far away from us don't love us any less. Please help us find peace in that gap this Father's Day, too. Though miles separate us, nothing can part the love of a father for his child, innately placed by You alone. Remind us to be thankful for our loving fathers, though they may be far away. To be in touch emotionally spans the empty distance between us. Bless our fathers while we are away from them. We pray for frequent visits and blessed reunions.
Forgive us, Father, for the things we want to blame our earthly fathers for. Remind us of their humanity. We are imperfect and can never expect any human being to fill our hearts and provide for us completely. That role is reserved for You alone, God. You deserve the vast space of our hearts, and we must remember that.
As much as we love dads, miss, and look up to our dads, they are only people, just like us. Maybe some of us feel bitterness, anger, and resentment towards our dads … but we must remember to compassionately embrace their humanity amid our feelings. They battle the same curse of sin we do, incapable of perfection. Whether we look to our fathers' leadership in faith or pray for their salvation, we have to release our judgment to You, God.
Father, bless our dads today in a special way. Release them from any guilt they may harbor for mistakes they have made as parents, knowing we also travel that road. Bless and heal any heartaches or physical hurts that ail them. Lift their spirits, as they may miss us today due to the physical distance between us. Assure them they hold a special place in our hearts, lives, and Your love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Jesus Fuentes
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Originally published Sunday, 18 June 2023.
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