Father’s Day is right around the corner and I have been thinking about my own sweet Daddy. I recently had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with my Mama and Daddy and celebrate my Mama’s 87th birthday with them. As I’ve said before, my parents have been married for 67 years and are still completely in love. There’s much to be learned from them as I watch them continue to live for the Lord and strive to run the race well to the end.
While we were together this time Daddy prayed the sweetest prayer, thanking the Lord for this wonderful lady he’d spent his life with and praying for God’s continued blessings over her life; and then, as he always does, he prayed for each of his children, their spouses and grandchildren, all by name. There’s nothing like hearing my elderly father pray – it often brings me to tears. My memories of my childhood are full of my daddy’s prayers. We prayed together daily as a family and my parents would pray with me individually at bedtime. Mama and Daddy always prayed for us and with us. To this day they are my strongest prayer warriors and the first ones I call if I need prayer.
When I was about 8 years old my parents brought a poster into my bedroom that Mama had painted for me with this verse on it: 1Samuel 12:23 “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.” It was signed “love Mama and Daddy.” They hung it in my room as a reminder that they were committed to praying for me and they were committed to teaching me to live for the Lord. To this day they’ve stayed true to that commitment.
I share this story to encourage you to continue to faithfully pray for your children and teach them God’s Word. You may think you’re having no impact on their lives or you’re seeing no spiritual growth in their lives. Let me assure you – your prayers are making a huge impact! You may not see the results now but God will honor those prayers. There are a couple of great songs that I recommend you check out. They are great options for songs to sing for Father’s Day. A Mother’s and Father’s prayer by John Michael Montgomery, and A Parent’s Prayer by Steven Curtis Chapman. Check them out. Become praying parents; daddies, pray for your children and with your children. Gather them around God’s Word each day and teach them. They’ll be blessed to be able to say, without a doubt, “My daddy prays for me.”
