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Dad’s Prayer for July 14th

A short, Scripture-shaped dads prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.

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The prayer

A prayer to pray now

Father, in Exodus, You told Israel not to cut the altar stones with tools. Leave them rough. Don't fix what You already made. I hear a warning there against something I do all the time — taking what You said and trimming it to fit the life I already planned.

I do it without noticing. I read a verse that tells me to forgive completely, and I find three good reasons it doesn't quite fit this case. I read about giving, and I think about the part of my budget I'd rather keep. Your word comes in rough, and I try to smooth it down.

Forgive me for that. Let me take Your word unchanged and let it stay on me. If it cuts, let it cut. If You ask me to do a hard thing this week, give me grace to do it instead of talking my way out of it.

Lord Jesus, You are not a project I get to fix. You are the One who is fixing me. Keep Your altar rough and let it stand.

Amen.

How to pray it

  1. Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
  2. Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
  3. Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.

Verses to pray

Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.

  1. If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.
    Exodus 20:25

Questions about this prayer

When should I pray dad’s prayer for july 14th?

Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.

Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?

This prayer is anchored in Exodus 20:25. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.

Can I save or share this prayer?

Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.