Psalm 91

¹ Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
³ For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
⁵ Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies in the day.
⁶ Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
⁷ Though a thousand fall at your side,
    though ten thousand are dying around you,
    these evils will not touch you.
⁸ Just open your eyes,
    and see how the wicked are punished.

⁹ If you make the Lord your refuge,
    if you make the Most High your shelter,
¹⁰ no evil will conquer you;
    no plague will come near your home.
¹¹ For he will order his angels
    to protect you wherever you go.
¹² They will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
¹³ You will trample upon lions and cobras;
    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

¹⁴ The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
¹⁵ When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
¹⁶ I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

Dear God, Happy Father’s Day! I don’t think I’ve ever said that to you before on Father’s Day. But you are my father. You are THE Father.

I read this psalm of orientation (as opposed to disorientation and reorientation), and I find myself being reminded in my reoriented state of just how powerful and majestic you are. Well, that’s not true. I have no idea of how majestic and powerful you are. I only have a glimpse. And even the glimpse if beyond what I can fathom. You are my God. You care for me in this life and beyond. I worship you. I know you have a lot of children who reject you, have walked away from you, and some even hate you. Then there are some who are just indifferent. If that kind of thing hurts me, I can only imagine how much it hurts you. If my love and worship can offer some balm to that hurt, not that you need anything from me, but if it can I hope it does.

Father, this is a day to appreciate fathers in our country, and it’s important because there are a lot of children who do not have fathers. They don’t have the men in their lives that they need. I pray that you will lay the needs of their children on the hearts of all fathers today. I pray that there will be repentance among the men. And I pray that there will be mercy on the part of the children, and, as necessary, their mothers. I have several situations running around in my head. Several people who have very little to no father interaction. Raise up men in the lives of these children who will be fathers to them. And for the fathers who have lost their children, give them comfort. I guess what I’m saying is, if there is pain in the heart of anyone today because it is Father’s Day, make that pain count. Use it to draw the fathers and the children closer to yourself. Closer to being like you. Let your glory, Father, shine in all the earth!

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen