One way I plan to honor my father this year on Father’s Day is in prayer, not only for him who has already received his eternal reward, but also for the other fathers in my life—my father-in-law, my son, my son-in-law and numerous friends and other loved ones.
A terrific Father’s Day gift—and one that is routinely neglected—is prayer, whether it is written in a card, prayed over the phone or offered in private. With that in mind, here are seven great prayers for the fathers in your life:
“Lord, bless _________ and keep him; make Your face to shine upon him and be gracious to him; lift up Your countenance upon him and give him peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26, ESV)
“I pray that in all respects _______ may prosper and be in good health, just as his soul prospers.” (3 John 2, NASB).
“I pray for __________, that his love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that he may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11, ESV)
“God, according to the riches of Your glory, grant _________ to be strengthened with power through Your Spirit in his inner being, so that Christ may dwell in his heart through faith–that he, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that he may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19, ESV)
“God, give ___________ Your strength to steer him,
Your power to uphold him,
Your wisdom to guide him,
Your eye for his vision,
Your ear for his hearing,
Your word for his speech,
Your hand to protect him,
Your pathway before him,
Your shield for his shelter,
Your angels to guard him
from ambush of devils,
from vice’s allurements,
from traps of the flesh,
from all who wish ill,
whether distant or close,
alone or in hosts.” (The Breastplate of St. Patrick)
“Christ be beside him,
Christ before him,
Christ behind him,
Christ within him,
Christ beneath him,
Christ above him.
Christ on his right hand,
Christ on his left,
Christ where he lies,
Christ where he sits,
Christ where he rises.
Christ in the hearts of all who think of him,
Christ in the mouths of all who speak to him,
Christ in every eye that sees him,
Christ in every ear that hears him.” (The Breastplate of St. Patrick)
“Father, thank you for _____________.
Please continue and complete your work in him,
granting that he may walk with you like Enoch,
believe you like Abraham,
obey you like Isaac,
wrestle with you like Jacob,
know your hand on his life like Joseph,
speak face-to-face with you like Moses,
win victories for you like Gideon,
speak boldly for you like Elijah,
worship you like David,
see you high and lifted up like Isaiah,
and carry Jesus’ cross like Simon of Cyrene.” (written by Bob Hostetler)
You may want to revise, amplify or add to those prayers. You may want to write one in a note or read it over the phone. You may want to offer each of these prayers, one for a different father you know.
Whatever else you may do, find a way to offer the fathers you love the best gift of all this Father’s Day: a prayer.
