Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Prayer of the Children

I have heard this beautiful, almost haunting, song many times over the years and I love it. I heard it again Sunday morning and I couldn't stop thinking about children. We all know the deplorable conditions that some children are forced to live in throughout the world. Every minute of their reality on earth is so different from ours.

The song is by Kurt Bestor, who I'm sure many of you have heard of. If you'd like some background on the song you can read it on his BLOG.

Prayer of the Children
Can you hear the prayer of the children?
On bended knee, in the shadow of an unknown room
Empty eyes with no more tears to cry
Turning heavenward toward the light

Crying Jesus, help me
To see the morning light-of one more day
But if I should die before I wake,
I pray my soul to take

Can you feel the hearts of the children?
Aching for home, for something of their very own
Reaching hands, with nothing to hold on to,
But hope for a better day a better day

Crying Jesus*, help me
To feel the love again in my own land
But if unknown roads lead away from home,
Give me loving arms, away from harm

Can you hear the voice of the children?
Softly pleading for silence in a shattered world?
Angry guns preach a gospel full of hate,
Blood of the innocent on their hands

Crying Jesus*, help me
To feel the sun again upon my face,
For when darkness clears I know you're near,
Bringing peace again

Dali cujete sve djecje molitive?
(Croatian translation:
'Can you hear all the children's prayers?')

Can you hear the prayer of the children?
(Feel free to play the song while you read or to watch the video first before reading on.)


I have heard Kathy Headlee of Mothers Without Borders talk about how children in Uganda are forced to be "night commuters", walking miles every single night to a safe location where they will not be kidnapped from their homes and forced to join the military and kill their family and others.

I also heard Rebecca Douglas of Rising Star Outreach talk about how children who have parents with Leprosy in India are rejected from society.

I cannot imagine living with the challenges that so many children live with daily throughout the world. But my thoughts today are about the children right around us.

"The mothers of Helaman’s warriors lived in times not unlike our own. Their circumstances were difficult and dangerous, and youth were being called upon to defend physical and spiritual liberty. Today we live in a world where we “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12)."
(If you are not familiar with the story of Helaman's warriors from the Book of Mormon, here is a
children's story version of it.)

The world really is difficult, dangerous, and full of darkness and our children need to be able to feel safe and loved. But many struggle. There are many children around us who need us. They are in our own backyards or in our homes. Some children come from "broken" homes and others have families who love them, but they have been through some trauma or have emotional challenges like low self-esteem, maybe even sickness or disablities that might make them feel different.

There are children whose lives we can touch. I am grateful for people around me who are such a good example. I have friends who have befriended children or teenagers and helped them feel loved. Some of my friends have had children who aren't their own live with them and have treated them like their own children. My children have primary, young men and young women leaders who care for them and get to know them. Right now, I am just trying hard to keep up with my own children with all that is happening in my life. But there is one girl I have on my mind who I'd like to get to know better and help her know how wonderful she is. So this is a challenge to me to hear the prayers of the children, to reach out to their hands and hearts.

7 comments:

  1. That is a beautiful song. I was listening to it on Sunday.

    The things that go on in the world are almost unbearable to think about. It makes me want to hug and love my family closely every minute.

    Hope you are doing OK with finals. Light at the end of the tunnel?

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  2. Love the song, and love your words today. They are so true!!

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  3. That is a great song. So many sad stories, abroad and right here as well. Great words.

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  4. What a wonderful post! Thank you for writing it. I can see that there are needs that go unseen in the lives of the children around us. I'm praying just to meet the needs of my own children. I pray to do everything I can and then not worry. We really do need to reach out to our own children AND the children in our churches and neighborhoods. I am so thankful every time someone reaches out to one of my children. Even without huge and horrible situations, they need to be reached out to so more than we know...

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  5. Beautiful song and words! I've always loved that song, but never realized who sang it. And what an important message in the song and in your post. I know I could do more reaching out.

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  6. I love that song. I love the way he performs it using the synthesized voice tuning.

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  7. I have heard this song many times - it is absolutely incredible, soulful, deeply spiritual. Composed by Sam Cardon, famous composer living in UT.

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