Our Father who art in heaven, there is great pain when a child—whether by choice or circumstances—loses communication with their earthly father or experiences an estrangement from him. Every Father’s Day reminds them that the man who you used to give them life is not in their life. Lord, you tell fathers not to anger their children, and yet we know in our humanness it happens. Or children can anger their father or choose to separate from their father like the prodigal son. But like the prodigal son, we pray the two will be united again while they still have time to reconcile with each other.

Pride often keeps the two apart, so we pray for that child who has abandoned fellowship with their father or the father who has disowned his own child will take the first step in restoring the relationship. So often, just hearing “I’m sorry” or “I forgive you” is the beginning of healing. Please give one of them the strength, courage, and desire to try to mend the grievances of the past.

Father, when that’s not possible, put on the heart of the child who has lost contact to pray for their father and that you Lord would heal the emotional wounds and be the Father to the fatherless as you promise in your Word. Thank you, Lord, for loving us with a never-ending Father’s love for his children. Amen