A Prayer For When You’re Apart - To Light Their Way

A Prayer for When You’re Apart

O God of all things, big and small,

Thank You for looking after us

In our comings and goings.

Though we may not be together right now,

We know that You go before us,

Guiding us and leading us as we start each new day.

Thank You for creating a love

So big between us,

Parent and child,

That we have the holy ache

Of missing each other.

When my child is sad,

May You comfort them in their sorrow

And bring someone to wipe their tears

When I cannot.

When they are joyful,

May You be near in their rejoicing

And bring someone to celebrate with them

When I cannot.

When they are afraid,

May You guide them through their fear

And bring someone to soothe them

When I cannot.

Bring us back to each other full of heart,

Brimming with stories and adventures

To share with each other.

Until we meet again,

Help us to focus on

Where You’ve placed us for the day.

Help us center in on

Who and how You would have us love

On this day.

O Creator of time and place,

You are a God big enough to hold

Every tiny detail of our lives,

And we know You are big enough to be with us now,

Both parent and child,

As we are apart.

Comfort my child when they are afraid,

And give me the strength to hand my desire for control

Over to You.

Help me to remember that You alone are God.

And while You have entrusted this child to me,

They are Yours and Yours alone.

Thank You for the gift of communication.

Though we may be apart,

We can see each other through a screen.

But we know these replacements can never measure up

To the warm embrace of together.

When my child awakes to a new day,

May they do so surrounded by love.

And when they look up to the moon at night,

May they do so knowing they’re held

By the One who hung the stars.

Bring us safely together soon.

With bated breath, we anticipate our reunion.

But until we can be with each other again,

Thank You for the gift of missing each other,

For that means we have loved

And have known what it is to be loved.

And as we are apart,

We pray for the children and parents

Who by no fault of their own

Have been separated from each other.

God, grant them supernatural peace

As they ache for each other.

May an invisible thread tie them together

In Your great love.

Give comfort to the lonely;

Give hope to the brokenhearted;

Give peace to the sorrowful.

We know this world isn’t as it should be,

And we pray that we may work for a day

When mothers and fathers,

Daughters and sons

Will embrace each other

And wipe away one another’s tears

And be united in

Heart and mind,

Body and soul.

As I am apart from my child,

I pray that You would

Embrace their heart with Your warmth

So that they may love those in their path.

Encourage their soul with Your grace

So that they may dwell in Your spirit.

Inspire their mind with Your brilliance

So that they may know You in all they encounter.

Ignite their strength with Your power

So that they may live with courage and compassion.

We can’t wait to be together again,

And yet You have put us on diverging paths.

So give us strength for the journey,

And lead us back together again soon.

Though we miss each other,

We know we are not alone,

For You have surrounded us

With Your everlasting love.

Amen.

Psalm 121:7-8; Job 9:9