Music and lyrics - Greig Hess
©2014 Greig Hess
I am so excited about this song and am really glad to be able to share it. I love it so much, but not for it's craft or anything that I could bring to it. I love it because it feels like such a gift from heaven and I am so thankful and humbled to have been entrusted with it.
When I sat down to write it, I had a blank page paired with the daunting idea of trying to creatively visit the Lord's prayer, a prayer from scripture that has been a rich part of church history and tradition for over 2000 years. As I spent some time thinking, reading and praying there were three things that rose up and became the theme and foundation for the song.
In his book, The Mystery Of Faith, Glenn Packiam points out that when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he was happy to oblige them, he dove right in and honored their request. I began to think about how much God wants to show us and teach us how to be close to Him.
In Matthew 6 where this exchange takes place, Jesus encourages us to get away in private with the Father. In vs 6 he says, 'But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.' He wants us to steal away and focus on Him. As we strip away everything else and push into Him, we know Him better, we know His heart better and find ourselves unified with our God.
While the idea of getting away with God for our own private time is an amazing and blessed discipline, I noted that the prayer is all written in communal language. No I's. No Me's. Yet it is littered with our's and us's. Throughout history this prayer has been spoken by people individually and corporately. For me it speaks to how Jesus wants all people to come before the Father as one people, with one heart beating in time with the Lord's.
I was grateful for creative friends who helped bring the song to life in ways that inspire our eyes, ears, minds and hearts. Thank you to Michelle, Jenna, Rob, Chris and John. These guys are another reason I love this song.
This prayer is powerful. Sit with it but please don't simply watch and listen. Instead go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father.
