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| Photographic print by Chris Briscoe |
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe,
The whole earth is full of your glory.
In the beginning you created,
The whole earth is full of your glory.
In the beginning you created,
and day by day you sustain,
the entire cosmos.
the entire cosmos.
Forgive us for keeping too small a view of who you are;
for being underwhelmed by the scope of your sovereignty.
for being underwhelmed by the scope of your sovereignty.
Lord,
this Father’s Day, we are reminded
this Father’s Day, we are reminded
that you reveal yourself to us in your Word
as Abba, Father.
as Abba, Father.
You are not just our ruler, but our parent;
not just our creator, but our nurturer.
not just our creator, but our nurturer.
Thank you for this tender promise of your loving kindness.
May we not, though, neglect the vivid maternal images of you
that we find in your Word:
a nursing mother, a hen gathering her chicks.
May we remember that no one name, image or idea
a nursing mother, a hen gathering her chicks.
May we remember that no one name, image or idea
can contain who you are
We thank you today for the gift of fathers,
many of whom guide and enrich our lives,
and for the gift of fatherhood
in which we are called to image your selfless love.
many of whom guide and enrich our lives,
and for the gift of fatherhood
in which we are called to image your selfless love.
Lord, we also realize that ‘Father’ can be a difficult name to call you
for those whose human fathers
for those whose human fathers
are abusive, absent, distant, disappointing.
We know that the wounds inflicted by our fathers can run so deep,
and that you are the only father who never turns his back to us.
We know that the wounds inflicted by our fathers can run so deep,
and that you are the only father who never turns his back to us.
We think today too of all those who want to be fathers,
who long to be called to marry,
or to have the drought of infertility lifted.
Comfort them with the promise of your joy.
who long to be called to marry,
or to have the drought of infertility lifted.
Comfort them with the promise of your joy.
… [prayers for local and global joys and needs] …
Watch over them, and watch over us, like a Father.
We pray through Jesus Christ,
In the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
In the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
For more Fathers’ Day prayers and other creative worship resources for Fathers’ Day, click on Fathers’ Day resources in the list of “Labels” on the lower right side of the page.
