On Earth as it is in Heaven

A prayer for the girls of Nigeria and the girls of Rivesville, WV

Oh, Lord!
What it is it about Little Girls with books
     That frighten men with guns so?

All I can do
Is turn my eyes to the heavens
And cry out.
     Let Your Will be done
     On Earth as it is done in Heaven.

Come,
Lord Jesus,
Come.

Come and shake the earth,
Rattle the foundations of empires.
Awaken those who slumber,
Resting in their ignorance.
Roll down like mighty waters
And let all the world
Seek Your justice.

     Let Your Will be done
     On Earth as it is done in Heaven.

I see their faces–
Toothy smiles
In pictures from some happy day
     Now lost.

I cry from my soul
When I think of
     the fear
     the terror
     that now darkens their innocent souls.

Dear God!
     Let Your Will be done
     On Earth as it is done in Heaven.

Shake me awake–
Let the blinders fall away
So that these blind eyes may see.
Let these stubborn ears be unplugged
So that I may hear.
Let this hard heart be opened
So that I might know that
     Your will should be done
     On Earth as it is done in Heaven.

But don’t stop there.

Don’t awaken me to the suffering
of little girls
a world away–
abstract ideas I’ll never meet,
But let me see
That Your Justice must be done
For Little Girls right here.

     Let Your will be done
     On Earth as it is done in Heaven.

Let me see the Little Girl
     With tears drying on her cheeks,
Let me see the Little Girl
Who deserves to know
That she is meant for more
     than bruises
     and a broken soul.
Let me see the Little Girl
With a belly aching from hunger–
The Little Girls forced to grow up
     Too soon.
The Little Girls never given a chance
     To grow.

Let me see them
     with my eyes,
     with my heart,
     with my soul.

And let my voice cry to the Heavens–
     Come,
     Lord Jesus,
     Come!

Your Will be done
Right here on Earth
     Just as it is done in Heaven.