After our altar time on Sunday, I asked the kids to share their prayer requests. Most of them were the typical requests about keeping people safe and people being sick, but there was one child whose request was different…and heartbreaking. His prayer was that his dad would love him.

And while this is not your “normal” prayer request, I can almost guarantee that there are a generation of young people who are crying out for their father’s love. And adding to that, I know that there are grown men who have lived their whole life without knowing the love of an earthly father.

It’s unfortunately a heartbreaking reality.

But as I sit here, I can only think about the fact that we have a Heavenly Father. For this I am eternally grateful. He isn’t the “better” version of our earthly dad, He is the perfect version. This Father never gives up on us. He never leaves us. He never fails us. And most importantly, He never stops loving us.

And for the child who has grown up without a Father, for the grown man who has never heard the words “I love you” from his dad, and even for the person who has a great relationship with his earthly father, this is still such good news.

And while my heart still breaks for this child and for the thousands of others who are crying out for the love of a father, I can be certain that the love of Christ far surpasses anything on earth.

No matter what your relationship is with your earthly father, know that your Heavenly Father adores you.

You are loved.

You are accepted.

You are His.

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father”. Romans 8:15

From one child to another,

Kristen