Prayer For Our Nation

Our Father, up in Heaven,
hear this fervent prayer
May the people of all nations
be united in thy care.

For earth's peace and man's salvation
can come only by Thy grace
And not through bombs and missiles
and our quest for outer space.

For until all men recognize
that "The Battle is the Lord's"
And peace on earth cannot be won
with strategy and swords.

We will go on vainly fighting,
as we have in ages past
Finding only empty victories
and a peace that cannot last.

But we've grown so rich and mighty
and so arrogantly strong,
We no longer ask in humbleness
"God, show us where we're wrong"

We have come to trust completely
in the power of man-made things,
Unmindful of God's mighty power
and that He Is "King of Kings"

We have turned our eyes away from Him
to go our selfish way,
And money, power and pleasure
are the gods we serve today.

And the good green earth God gave us
to peacefully enjoy,
Through greed and fear and hatred
we are seeking to destroy.

Oh, Father, up in heaven,
stir and wake our sleeping souls,
Renew our faith and lift us up
and give us higher goals.

And grant us heavenly guidance
as war threatens us again
For, more than guided missiles,
all the world needs guided men.

- Helen Steiner Rice