This day has always been a day full of mixed emotions since I was very little. Even as an adult, the effects of a broken family are still ever-present, tainting both memories and present-day realities. A day universally celebrating a category of people can be hard when all are not universally present. Hallmark does not, in fact, have cards for every situation. The very act of picking out a card can be an annual struggle and a reminder of what could be, but isn’t.
God designed the family. Starting with the union of a man and a woman, and extending into the relationship of parents and their children. In His infinite wisdom, He gave children parents to love them, care for their needs, and protect them from harm. Boys and girls, men and women, have an innate need for a father to love and protect them. Anyone who has lived without this knows that there is something missing. Something is not right.
In the midst of all the wonderful articles put out over the weekend centered on Father’s Day, I read a sobering statistic. For every three children, one lives in a home without the biological dad present. Perhaps what makes this more sad is the fact that this statistic is no longer surprising.
God can give a lot of grace and healing now. Adoption is an amazing gift and picture of redemption. And seeing my husband joyfully and consistently father our children is an incredible blessing everyday. I am thankful for these mercies in the midst of hard things. I don’t want to minimize the gifts of healing I have had in my life. At the same time, I want to be honest about the fact that this day will continue to be hard while families continue to be broken.
With the numbers being what they are, chances are good that many of you fall into the camp that finds this day to be bitter(sweet). As someone who has walked this road for a long time, please let me share my prayer for you, for us, today.
I sincerely hope that if this day is one of difficult reminders for you, that you find comfort and joy in your family and loved ones today. And even more, I hope that these prayers below will strengthen your heart and cause you to rejoice in the steadfast hope and encouragement found in the gospel.
I pray…
that we will know the love of a heavenly Father, that we will know His love in the deepest parts of our hearts…
the love that cannot be measured in breadth or depth but surpasses all understanding
the love that did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all
the love that is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him
the love that neither death, nor life, nor angels, no principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from
that we will identify with His love and not label ourselves as a product of something broken…
for you were once not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy
see how great a love the Father bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are
you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba Father!”
that we would not carry around in our hearts unforgiveness and resentment that would act as poison in our bodies, but that we would experience the liberating power of forgiveness
a tranquil heart is life to the body, but passion is rottenness to the bones
the Lord has annointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisonsers
that in the absence of an earthly refuge in a father’s arms, we would find safe refuge in our eternal Father’s embrace
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty…under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and a bulwark
In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have refuge
that we will remember that while this world is for a little while longer broken by sin, there is coming a day when God will restore creation to its intended beauty and we will no longer weep or mourn for what was lost but will rejoice in the fullness of hope realized and faith made sight
we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance, we wait eagerly for it
There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them; and they will reign forever and ever.
with much affection,
Lisa
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