LORD, Hear Our Prayer

INTRO: As our lives gather momentum into a New Year, I have republished this Christian poem, which is based on The Lord’s Prayer, found in the Bible in Matthew Chapter 6 verses 9 to 13. This is my favourite poem and I believe, an important poem to keep front of mind. When I first wrote this poem back in 2014, I would recite it every day as a daily prayer. But as the year rolled on and I wrote many other poems, this one slipped back in importance. So now at the beginning of each year, I like to pick it up and place it back into my daily prayer life and I invite you to do the same.

I memorised this passage as a child, as I am sure many of you also did, but I never really understood the full meaning of this brief prayer. This was the first poem that I wrote based on a Bible passage. I wrote it soon after renewing my Christian faith. I was inspired by hearing a sermon and doing further study on the passage. I love that this prayer was spoken by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ as was His prayer for us in John Chapter 17. How gracious of Him to give us such a clear and simple instruction with which to build our prayer life around. I look forward to the day when Jesus will lead us in prayer face to face. Beverley Joy

PODCAST – LORD, Hear Our Prayer

Our heavenly Father, God of gods
King of kings and Lord of lords
Creator of the whole universe
Almighty, all-powerful, and glorious.

In the wonder of His grace and mercy
We try to fathom our rescued state
As God’s adopted family heirs
In His Kingdom forever we will live.

God is love, beyond our human understanding
Faithful, faultless and of pure intent
God is grace, showing us undeserved favour
God is mercy, forgiving us our sins.

God lives in His heavenly realm
His reign is supreme
He controls everything, everywhere
Nothing exists without Him.

God’s holy name will be honoured and worshipped
And every knee shall bow
And everyone will confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord.

God supreme, our heavenly Father
The Son of God, Jesus Christ
God’s Holy Spirit, three in one
The Holy Trinity.

We honour and worship you, today
Jesus Christ, our Prince of Peace
He is, Wonderful, Counsellor with God
Emmanuel, God with us.

Our High Priest, who stands between
Our Bridegroom, who longs for us
Our elder brother, who protects
Our Saviour, who has rescued us.

Rescued from Satan’s defeated Kingdom
Of slavery and death
Into God’s victorious Kingdom
Of freedom through Christ to life.

God’s plan will put things right
In His perfect timing and way
God’s Will is being done today
On earth and in the heavens.

May God’s Will be done
In our lives today
By His Holy Spirit who lives within
And intercedes with God for us.

We humbly pray with deep conviction
Our thanks to God Eternal
For Christ’s death and resurrection
That rescues us from sin.

The full, just wrath of God
Separating us from Him
Was paid in full on the cross
Believing, we receive God’s peace.

Thank you, dear God, for giving us
Enough honest work to provide
Food, shelter, clothing, and transport
Whatever you deem necessary.

Today, we stand on God’s promise
That Jesus taught while here on earth:
“Do not worry about tomorrow
For each day has its own trouble.”

“Do not worry about money
Food or drink, transport, or clothes
Where to live or educate the kids
Electric bills or insurances.”

Oh, help us Lord to respect
All the blessings that you give
Be always thankful when we pray
Because you know we need these things.

Instead, seek first God’s purposes
Have faith and trust in Jesus Christ
And these things God has promised
He will provide for us.

Let us humbly remember that God makes
The sun to rise, and the rain to fall,
And the blessing that God gives us
Are subject to His provision.

With these your gracious provisions
Today may we help meet the needs
Of those less fortunate than ourselves
And pray for those we cannot help.

God draws us back to Himself
Even though we turned our back on Him
And walked away from our relationship
He will pardon and reconcile.

As you have forgiven us
For the sin that we have done
We forgive those who have wronged us
Help us forgive ourselves.

May we not be tempted to sin
But when we are, deliver us, please
Before it does consume us
Oh, protect us from the evil one.

Keep us from the lust of the flesh
Living for the sensation of experiences
Living by our senses and feelings
Seeking to satisfy our cravings.

Keep us from the lust of the eyes
Craving to own what others have
Keep us from consumerism
Adultery and Materialism.

Keep us from the pride of life,
‘I-ism’ – self-centredness,
Self-sufficient and self-empowered
Self-loathing – “Why, poor me?”

May God by his grace grant us freedom
From the false love of this world
Enslaved to its endless desires and stress
Its craving to fill our voids.

Keep us from being impatient with God
Thinking that He is too slow to act
Or that God is not acting at all
Teach us to respect God’s timing and plan.

Keep us from believing that we can fix it
That ‘we don’t need God’ to help us decide
Or advise God on how to do his job
Teach us to be patient and wise.

Keep us from trusting just our knowledge
That achieves at best incomplete
Human limits of wisdom and strength
Human limits of fulfilment and peace.

Teach us to have faith and trust
In God, our all-knowing Creator
To teach and lead us, His creation
To live our lives how God designed.

His ways, ideas, plans and thoughts
Are supreme to our humanness
God’s kingdom, power, and glory reign
From before time began through to eternity.

God is steadfast and sure
He is always present, doing his work
God is tireless and consistent
He doesn’t pause to catch his breath.

God is Sovereign and unsurpassed
His authority rules His universe
God demands praise, thanks, and honour
From all his creation, hallelujah.

As we end our time of sacred prayer
With God and our Lord Jesus Christ
And return to do our daily work
May His presence remain with us.

We pray – Amen, so let it be
God decrees – it shall be.

You can listen to all my poems on several podcast platforms here

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Reference:
The Zondervan NASB Study Bible 1999 Zondervan Michigan U.S.A.
Matthew 6:9-13, 25-34, 5:45, 25:35-40, Deuteronomy 10:17, Genesis 1:1, 1Timothy 6:15, Romans 5:10, Ephesians 2:4-7, 1John 1:9, 2:1-2,16, 4:8-10, 19 John 3:16, 6:44, 5:17 8:4-11, Ephesians1:4-8, Isaiah 55:8–9, Hebrews 4:16, Ephesians 3:14, Esther 4:11, 5:2 Isaiah 9:6, 40:28, 43:25, 59:2, 61:10, Romans 1:18, 5:8, 8:17, 29, Colossians 1:12-13, Philippians 2:9-11, John 3:16, 1Peter 1:3-4, Ezekiel 36:27, Luke 12:28-34 13:5, 1 John 2:15,16 Psalm 37:7-8, Proverbs 3:5-6, Lamentations 3:22-23, Colossians 1:15-18, 2Chronicles 20:6, Revelations 4:11, Job 22:28
Matthew Henry’s Commentary of the Whole Bible 1960 Marshall, Morgan & Scott
God’s Psychiatry Charles L. Allen 1953 Fleming H. Revell Company