An Old Man's Prayer
He said; “Son, yah’ look mighty troubled,
But, they ain’t no need t’be afraid.
Fo there’s One who can lift yo burdens,
Frum a lifetime of bad choices made.”
When he placed his hand on my shoulder,
The cares of my heart began to fade,
For we took them into God’s throne room,
Through the gentle words that old man prayed:
*****
“O’ Lord our Lord, how excellent is yo’ name on
all da earth, da only name where man can be saved.
Father, yah said at da name of Jesus ev’ry knee’s
gon'na bow, n’ ev’ry tongue's gon'na confess dat
Jesus is Lord.
Now Father, yo’ children come oft’ b’fore yah with
thanksgivin’; some’re standin’; some’re sittin’, n’
some kneelin’. Frum da depts of our heart we’s
humble ourselves n’ confess dat same Jesus, He’s
our Lord n’ God.
Mighty God, we’s praise yah’! We’s glorify yah’!
We’s honor yah’! We’s magnify yo’ holy name.
Father, we’s thank yah fo dis day n’ fo yo love, grace
n’ mercy, n’ fo keepin’ us frum all hurt n’ danger
all our days.
We’s aks yo blessin’ on hospitals, on institutions, n'
on prisons. Those n’ bed, bodied ‘n pain, dems dat
are laid up n’ nursin’ homes. We’s pray fo da cold,
hungry, broken, n’ thirsty… fo all mankind who bes
fallen down ‘long da highways of sin.
We’s pray fo dose whos knows Yah, n’ dose that
doesn’t. We’s pray fo yo grace on em in Jesus’ name.
We pray fo yo world… fo da earth is yo’s n’ da
fullness there’n’. All good n’ perfect gifts come from
above, so we’s thanks yah’.
We’s pray fo our friend here t’day, a stranger ta me,
but not so ta Yah, Father. Yo know all 'bout em. We’s
aks yah t’day fo yah is da one who gives us yo peace,
who speaks n’ it comes ta pass; We’s praise yah fo
ever mo!
We’s b’lieve in yo power. Glory n’ praise, n’ majesty
we give to you my Lord! Father, we’s bes glad dat
we’s bes able ta walk n’ step wit yah t’day, fo we’s
know it had dun n’ been another day yah dun n’
kept us safe by yo might.
Father, we’s thank yah ta be able to lie down in yo
bed of joy, b’tween yo sheets of grace n’ mercy, wit
our head on a pillow that is yo bosom of love. Yah
give angels charge to protect us, yah give da Holy
Spirit that breathes on us, n’ seals us.
We’s give glory n’ prais e n’ thanksgivin’. If ya bless
us ta see t’morrah’, we’s knows we’s be able ta ‘cept
t’morrah. Fo Jesus is da same yesterday, t’day, n’
fo’ever more! Yes, He is da one true friend dat sticks
closer than any brother.
Dear Jesus, I’s knows yah are da Good Shepherd n’ dat
we’s are Yo’ lit’ll sheep in Yo’ pasture. We’s be’s keep’n our
eyes on yah, cuz we’s knows yah be’s keep’n Yo’ eyes
on us. We’s trust Yah to keep watch o’re us,
fo’ nothin’ is out of your gaze.
Now, though we’s walk thro’ dah’ fire, dah’ storm, n' da
dark valley; n’ tho’ thangs may look bad, we’s be yo's.
Now, God, we’s gon’na be closin’ dis ‘ere prayer, but we’s
know yah’ will n’ere leave us or fo’sake us. We’s pray this
in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen and Amen.”
*****
When he finished, Lord knows I felt peace
I had not owned in many a day,
For as one who had been unshackled,
Chains of worry and fear fell away.
He then took his hand from my shoulder,
I thanked him for the difference made,
For we left my cares in God’s throne room,
Through the gentle words that old man prayed.
