O Lord, who searches the hearts of men, many are the times I have caused my dad to worry and to be sad. To this day, I still owe him in many ways. Please forgive my sins and help me to fulfill my duty as his child.
Lord, whenever I am feeling impatient with my dad, give me love and patience to help me listen well and respond gently. Please do not let me say anything that would hurt him or sadden him.
[PAUSE: Ask God to help you in your attitude towards your dad, your words and actions.]
Lord, help me to appreciate Daddy’s love and remember his kindness in raising me. Open my heart and help me to see things from his perspective and understand his difficulties. Grant me wisdom that I may know how to support him, encourage him, and walk with him.
Give me a willing heart and sufficient strength to help me to honor my dad, to care for him, to be with him, and to comfort him.
Lord, please help me to be filial to my mother, my spouse’s parents, and other elders in my family as well.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:12; Proverbs 17:6; Ephesians 6:1-3; Hebrews 12:7-9
A Perfect Father
The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them.
My father once admitted to me, “When you were growing up, I was gone a lot.”
I don’t remember that. Besides working his full-time job, he was gone some evenings to direct choir practice at church, and he occasionally traveled for a week or two with a men’s quartet. But for all the significant (and many small) moments of my life—he was there.
For instance, when I was eight, I had a tiny part in an afternoon play at school. All the mothers came, but only one dad—mine. In many little ways, he has always let my sisters and me know that we are important to him and that he loves us. And seeing him tenderly caring for my mom in the last few years of her life taught me exactly what unselfish love looks like. Dad isn’t perfect, but he’s always been a dad who gives me a good glimpse of my heavenly Father. And ideally, that’s what a Christian dad should do.
At times earthly fathers disappoint or hurt their children. But our Father in heaven is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Ps. 103:8). When a dad who loves the Lord corrects, comforts, instructs, and provides for the needs of his children, he models for them our perfect Father in heaven.
Reflect & Pray
Think about some good points about your dad that you could learn from. How would you pray for him?
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithfulness that I can always count on. Please help me to live today in a way that leaves behind a legacy of faithfulness and love.
A life lived for Christ is the best inheritance parents can leave to their children.
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