New Year’s Prayer

“And it came to pass that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said unto Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray. . .’.”

Luke 11:1a

“Lord, teach us to pray,”

The disciple said that day,

As they watched Jesus praying to His Father,

In a most intense and trusting way.

Flowery words and stilted phrases

The Lord Jesus did not use;

Instead, as a child talking with his father

Was the manner of praying He did choose.

For sure there was adoration

For the Glory of His Father;

Trivial pursuit and meaningless words—

For Christ, He did not bother.

No, simple and so loving

Was the way that Jesus prayed,

For He knew His Father always heard His Voice

And the petitions that He made.

“Oh, dear Lord, teach us to pray

The way You did that day;

Help us to also be able to touch the Father’s heart

In what we have to say.

“Teach us it’s not the amount of words

Or how fervently we pray them;

It’s the sincere contrition of our hearts

That’s free of pretenses or whims.

“Yes, teach us how to pray, O Lord,

The way that You deem best—

For it’s only as we pray the way You did

That’ll help us pass the test.

“Even now we give our lives to You

To use in this coming year;

That way we’ll know our days will be blessed

As we walk in faith, not fear.”

–Tom Smith

Morning Manna Dated January 1, 2010