Broadway Baptist Church - Louisville, Kentucky

A Prayer for Fatheer's Day

O God, we know you through scripture by many names

King
Shepherd
Master
Creator
Redeemer
Defender
Friend.

Today we focus on one name, as we come before you as our loving Heavenly Father. We come to you as father on a day when we celebrate the role our fathers have played in our lives. They have been for us sources of

Love
Caring
Direction
Strength.

And we pray that we would learn to turn to you for those same benefits.

When we doubt our worth, remind us you are a father who
loves us despite our flaws.

When Monday-Friday leaves us staggering into Saturday and now Sunday, remind us you are a father who wraps his strong arm around our shoulder when needed.

When the path ahead seems covered with fog, remind us that
you are willing to lead us by the hand.

When we struggle to put one foot in front of the other, remind us that you have the power to pick us up and carry us as a father carries a daughter or son.

Not only do we find names for you in the Bible, O God, we also find names for ourselves

Sheep
Disciples
Believers
Servants
Ambassadors.

But for today we claim the name of “child.”

And like all children, we have needs.

We are weak and in need of protection
We are immature and in need of growth
We are foolish and in need of instruction
We are wayward and in need of forgiveness.

We pray today for fellow children of God.

For those who are sick
For those who are grieving
For those who are hungry
For those who are afraid.

We pray especially for those who find Father’s Day a hard day.

For those enduring the pain of separation or divorce
For those grieving the loss of a father or a husband
For mothers, but, especially on this day, fathers who are far
from family as they serve our nation.

And we offer you our prayers for those who hear stories of wonderful fathers, but who experienced little of such love and nurturing from their own father.

May you, their loving heavenly father, come to all those in need.
And may you challenge us, their sisters and brothers, to come to them, too.

Amen.