A Servant’s Prayer

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Lately, one of my girls’ favorite past times  is playing “servants.” 
 
I believe this unique version of playing house was inspired by one of the Dear America books that Hannah just finished reading. Filled with excerpts from a young slave girl’s diary written during the civil war, this true story captured Hannah’s compassionate heart.
 
When Hannah convinces her siblings to re-enact the story with her, they don the rattiest patchwork dresses they can find in our stash of old dress-up clothes and head outside to begin their endless chores. 
 
Hauling buckets of water, baking bread from mud, and sweeping the play house are just a few of their tireless tasks. Even Josh can be convinced to play (without the patchwork dress) if they offer him a plastic hoe and allow him to be the resident servant farmer.
 
Yesterday, when my poor toilers came in for a snack, Josh asked if I’d like to join their game.  Hannah looked at her brother and shook her head in disbelief. 
 
“Joshie,” she said with a wise sigh, “Mom doesn’t want to play servant. That’s what she does all day!”
 
Oh, that this servant would develop a heart to match her day job!
 
  A Servant’s Prayer
 
Give me a servant’s heart, O Lord;
A soul that longs for you,
A spirit that daily seeks your will,
And strength to follow through.
 
Give me ears to listen
To the cries that go unheard,
A mouth that speaks in kindness
And proclaims your perfect word. 
 
Give me eyes to see the things
That grieve your only Son
And hands that reach out for the lost
Until your work is done.
 
Give me legs that carry me
Swiftly through the race,
And when I’m  finished let me leave
Footprints marked with grace.
                 
                    -Alicia Bruxvoort
Alicia

8 Comments

  1. Hi…. our ladies group theme for this meeting is a Servant’s Heart.
    May I have permission to print this poem for each of our ladies (12)
    in the form of a card?
    Thanks for your consideration.

  2. We will be having a Ladies Day at the Pea Ridge Church of Christ in April and I would like permission to have one of our teenage girls read this poem on that day. It is beautiful and the theme of our day. Thank you for the lovely poem.

  3. Oh, Pamela.. I’m convicted by your question. Don’t really want to admit how often I just “play the role” without backing it with love and humility. Thanks for asking the hard questions and challenging me ot do the same!

  4. Creative children make me smile. But it does make me wonder if I’m playing at being a servant or does my servanthood come from my heart. I’ll have to talk to God about that!

  5. After watching your girls light up my house, my yard, and my dinner table tonight, I could compose a dozen poems for your sweet ones 🙂 Seriously, they were the highlight of our week. Wish you could have seen Hannah’s face when Chelsea jumped out of the backseat of the van at school. Priceless. Thanks for sharing. Love from here to you.

  6. Heather,

    Thanks for blessing ME with your heart today. I’m smiling as I picture you praying for your precious ones as you go about your day. Who ever invented the word “quiet time” anyway? I think “connection time” fits better in a busy mom’s world. I do love how God can invade even our most mundane “servant things” and invite us closer to His heart. Praying for you and for your community and for the Goematts.

  7. Oh my goodness! I love that she recognizes that you serve them all day!:) What a beautiful treat! I wish I would have been a little more like Hannah when I was little…and given my mom a bit of help!
    Your poem is absolutely beautiful! I love it! Can I commission you to write poems for my kiddos??? Seriously??? Wouldn’t that be a priceless gift?

  8. This was sooo perfect today! I was just thinking of what a servant we are and how tiring it becomes sometimes or the lack of appreciation we sometimes feel.I was feeling this was today as I showered my little girls Grayci & Halley and thought about how much I needed to get done today, unloading dishes, the two loads of laundry on the couch, beds to be made, Wal-Mart, Hy-vee,some yard stuff my floors and in between all of that, playtime and reading time with my girls … Sometimes we just feel hmm…. I took a moment, poured a cup of coffee,flipped my little saying for today and what does it say…. In the stillness in the morning, a mother quietly makes her way to her quiet place to commit her children to the lord. She prays for their safety,as well as for hearts that will be open to His direction. This hit the spot! my quiet time ? hmm I’m praying for my lil flock each morning as I unload the dishwasher (don’t think that counts as quiet time ) or while i’m in the morning shower starting my day & I even have my daily chit-chat with our amazing father upstairs while I’m making beds :o).. So today I sit with my coffee & decide to read what you have blessed us with today and as I read, your words fit perfectly in… So I thank you for blessing us each and everyday! Our home and our community have very heavy Heart right now and have been praying for strongly and as a whole for Jon and Tami Goematt and their sone TJ, so thank you again, 1 Samuel 1:27-28 keeps close to my heart right now and your Servant’s Prayer just touched me right where I needed to be…

    Blessings,
    Heather Van Hemert

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