How can we best pray for families as we approach this Fathers’ Day weekend 2023? One of the things that we can realize is the big sense of responsibility that many fathers carry. When fathers really do love their children (both growing children and adult children and grandchildren), they do want things to work out well for their children. Loving fathers sacrifice and work hard for the benefit of their families. Their concerns really are centered in their family more than in themselves. Loving fathers hold a constant concern for their families in their hearts. Sometimes they may not find the words to speak all their concerns out loud. Sometimes they may not feel comfortable trying to express the depth of their commitment to their families. We can pray with an understanding of God our Father being available to help and support all of us. We can find reassurance in the Scripture, “Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you. (I Peter 5:7) We can pray that fathers who long for good for their families will know they can bring every care to our Father God and receive His tender and loving care. Approaching this Fathers’ Day weekend we can also consider families and homes where fathers are absent. There may be others who step into this role to provide support and care. Anyone who is trying to bring consistent love and support for families needs help. God is available to help and so we can choose to approach the One Who cares for us and to surrender all of our cares for our families to our ever loving God. I urge us not to underestimate how important encouragement and faithful prayer is for families. Tomorrow June 14th, we can plan to pause at 1 pm for our WEDNESDAY PRAYER TOGETHER. We can pray for our own families and for the families of others that God inspires us to commit to His care.
Praying for increased awareness of how much our loving Father God cares for us and those for whom we pray, Pastor Lola
Our Father God, we come to You as Your children, conscious of how much we need You. Thank you that we can rely on Your constant love and care for us. We thank You our God for all the ways that You demonstrate Your consistent care for us and those for whom we pray. Our Gracious God, we are grateful that in Your wisdom, You have placed us in families. We recognize that no family is perfect, still it is in our families that we are meant to find security and love. Please be near to help all parents who are seeking to nurture their children well. It is our prayer that not only will families provide food and shelter for children, but that children will also be nurtured in faith. We think of what it will mean for children as they grow to know Your love and care for them. When we think of the pressure these days on families and households, we lift them up to You. Please reassure families that they are not alone and that You care for them in all their struggles. Thank you for those who work to support children and families. Thank You for ways that we can demonstrate love and care for our families. We pray that we will be available to be family for those who are lonely. Sometimes we can get very caught up in the needs of our own families and not be available for others who need us. Please guide us in balancing this gift of time that You have given to us. We choose to bring all the cares we have for our families to You. Our God You now where there are health concerns in our families. You know where there are relationship tensions in our families. You know where there is discouragement and disappointment in our families. You know where there is uncertainty for the future in our families. In every situation of need our Father god, we ask you to be with us and to guide us through. It is a relief to cast all of our cares for our families on You and we do that now. We also bring to you other individuals and families for whom we pray. Thank You God that You take us beyond ourselves to care about and to pray for others. Thank You that no one we name is outside of your care. As we name those who are on our hearts to You, You already know every need and care. Please do inspire us to be an active part of the way that our prayers will be answered and the way that Your care will be expressed through us. When we grow weary in extending care and support, we pray that You will renew and refresh us. For homes where fathers have not provided the loving presence and influence that You intend , we pray that awareness of You and Your loving care will be experienced. For those who have recently said goodbye to fathers and grandfathers, we pray for your comforting peace over this Fathers’ Day weekend. Thank You Father God that we can know that You do care for us and will always be near to help us and to guide us. We do bring all of our cares to You, confident that You do care for us. We commit everyone and everything to You in Jesus’ Name. AMEN.