Before you, Lord, a day of prayer and fasting,
We humble ourselves, we praise and plead and bow;
You are our God, the Sovereign everlasting,
You work your powerful will, we not know how;
Oh, hear us, Savior, relieve our anguish soon,
We ask in joy: fulfill your covenant vow,
That in your grace your people might commune.
We Want to Eat His Bread
The sinner’s response is fight or flight
From your great glory and holy light,
So teach us how to humbly submit,
To seek your face, and never quit
Our service to Christ. We want to eat
His bread and make your will our meat.
What you in all of Scripture wrote
We want to know, to love devote
Ourselves, as Jesus did. Create
In us desire for heaven’s Gate.
O Savior, Come to Us
Eternal God, Lord over all, the One
To whom we owe both life and breath,
Reveal your love to us in the Son,
To know its height and width and depth.
O Savior, come to us, abide
In mercy with your humble creatures;
Your words of power our surest guide,
Your many works our able teachers.
For us your presence is all we need,
Our only good and pure delight;
Upon your healthy grace we feed,
To keep our holy Lord in sight.
The Way that Jesus Went
O God, with you I’d be content,
In Christ my every need supplied;
I’d go the way that Jesus went—
On Calvary’s hill he wept and died.
His victor’s cry make mine as well,
To finish your saving will at last;
To serve my neighbor, a story to tell,
A living love, unmoved, steadfast.
Warm Our Hearts and Energize Our Limbs
Holy Father in heaven,
Warm our hearts and energize our limbs,
To serve our neighbor, move away from whims
And sudden fancies, to do your steady will—
Let not hands go weak, nor minds be dull.
Sovereign God of this world,
Bless people of righteousness, make justice thrive,
Let kingdom sons be born, again revive
Your church to turn away from vain pursuits,
To speak your Word, to return to scriptural roots.
Lord of heart and soul,
Ever turn our sight from selfish gain,
To see beyond ourselves—like Jesus, train
Attention upon humanity’s greatest need—
Eternal life—and follow the Spirit’s lead.
Leader of hosts and armies,
Power is yours, all glory, strength, and right,
As King of kings, as ruler in love and light,
The battle is yours, the fight will soon be done,
And we would sooner be found at arms in the Son.
Source and Center
You, O Lord, are source and center,
Let me in your portals enter;
Walk with me the straight and narrow,
Watch with care your smallest sparrow.
You, O God, are shield and savior,
Rock and tower, loving neighbor;
Life and blessing yours forever,
Faithfulness our long endeavor. Continue reading “Source and Center”
Ourselves to Serve
As evil spreads, relieve our hearts’ distress;
Than self may we not love our neighbor less.
O God, turn men to truth, ourselves to serve,
From following Jesus let us never swerve.
We Ask
We ask why, we ask when,
We ask what might have been,
But seldom do we ask of you
What we must do. Continue reading “We Ask”
Rejoice in God, His Hope, His Help
Hallelujah to the Lord!
How good it is to sing to our God!
How pleasant and lovely it is to praise!
Exalt the Lord, Jerusalem,
His people raise their voice in song,
Remember all his works of love,
Acknowledge every act of grace.
Let hosts on high, and stars that shine,
Both sun and moon, and kings of men,
Let young and old, and creatures wild,
Rejoice in God, his hope, his help. Continue reading “Rejoice in God, His Hope, His Help”
Heap Your Hottest Coals
By J. Randal Matheny © 2016
Oh, God above, look down upon us,
Have mercy on our suffering souls;
We seek your presence, come redeem us,
With kindness heap your hottest coals.
Our God of mercy, work your wonders,
Melt our dross and sin away,
Mold us, Lord of light and thunders,
Your rod of pain to shape this clay.
Great God who stirs the ocean’s depths,
Whose holiness corrects each wrong,
Who shares with all your thousand strengths —
For lifelong battle make us strong.