(inspired by the Lord’s Prayer)

You are our Father in heaven,
Your name is Holy and revered.
We long for your kingdom to come
Ending our pain and our fear.
Bringing a world without need for wars,
Where everyone lives by your will.
A world where no one is hungry,
And everyone gets their fill.
We envision no one begging on corners,
We imagine no one sleeping in parks;
Or children who fear being gunned down at school,
When once they feared only the dark.
We look forward to Mamas feeding their babies,
And daddies with pride in their jobs.
No more parents begging for food
While each hears the other one sob.
We pray for the world to grow spiritually,
Gaining the wisdom to understand,
If we don't live together as a family,
We will die unforgiven and damned.
Lord, I hope we will someday see
The enormous debt you've forgiven us.
And maybe that day, come to realize,
Unforgiveness is simply unjust.
Somehow we must come to see
It's our sin that keeps us apart. And the blessings that we foreclose
With our cold, unforgiving hearts.
But until that day comes to pass, Lord,
Until we can forgive and love as you do,
We can only pray that the grace of your love
Will protect us and carry us through.

©Linda Troxell