Feed Us

Ray Hardin was a friend to preachers—and he was one of my close friends during my time as a young minister of a large church in Dallas many years ago. Ray attended our church and as a former preacher he had the gift of writing prayers that he would deliver in a rich baritone voice with outstanding diction. He could have recorded an album and I would have bought and listened to it over and over again.

Ray’s ministry was the composition and delivery of public prayers on behalf of the church. He eventually published two books of prayers before his passing due to lung cancer. I ran across this one, which I don’t believe was ever published. He sent it to me after I had moved to San Diego. The next morning, I happened to be preaching on worship. The sermon series was entitled, “Face down.” I offer this prayer to you and take it to heart afresh myself. We aren’t as self-sufficient as we think we are. God be praised for His generosity toward us!

Feed Us

How hungry we get after

leaving home, Lord. Oh, it’s

tolerable for a while

because we have our minds

made up and our jaw

set. We tell ourselves there’s

nothing at all to fear—we

simply need to stay

focused on the goal,

work hard, look good and keep our

wits about us.

The props we drag along to make us

feel good about ourselves—oh!

how important that is—

too soon turn into dead

weights we would leave beside

the path if we had any

real courage. But our courage

fades as our hunger

grows. So we quicken our pace to

put some distance between

ourselves and you, thinking

that any day we will

arrive at whatever place it is we

imagine can our fill

our needs. No offense, Lord, but

sometimes we feel we

really need to make it on our

own, provide for ourselves

and be grown up at last.

But the hunger deepens

and seeps into all our

empty places like sand.

Weighing us down and sapping

our strength.

Until the journey is no fun any more.

The bright destination

becomes only a mirage.

Our path becomes too

steep with the weight of

all the heavy help we’ve

thought to depend on. Until

finally we can’t go

on any further. That’s when we lay

it all down and cry

to you, O Lord. Save us. Feed us.