Our Lent series this year was based on the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer and how they match up with Jesus’s words from the cross.

Here’s the worksheet/order we used (PDF).

We also had a theme hymn, “Father God, Who Art in Heaven,” that uses the same first and last stanza each week with a different 2nd stanza each week based on the corresponding petition/words. It can be used as a general Lord’s Prayer hymn apart from the series. (Lyrics based on series order) See below for lyrics based on Lord’s Prayer order.

The Lutheran Service Builder file is in the order of the petitions.

Father God, Who Art in Heaven 

Tune: Das grosse Cantional (Christ, the Life of All the Living)

1                   Father God, Who art in heaven,
Your name ever hallow’d be
Let Your kingdom come among us
Earth, like heaven, Your will see
As we pardon, so release us,
From our sins and evil free us.
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity.

2                   Let Your name be ever holy
Ever kept in purity
Since by Word and water solely
You have named us family
Help us show in daily living
All the mercy You are giving
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity.

3                   Let Your kingdom come among us
May your Spirit help us know:
Since You’ve taken our sin from us
We to Paradise may go
As a citizen of heaven,
Let my life be loving leaven
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity.

4                   As Your will is done in heaven,
Here among us so be done
Keep us firm, conviction strengthen,
Ever turn us to Your Son
Let our trust be ne’er diminished
Give us faith that “It is finished!”
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity.

5                   Give us each our daily manna
Help us see Your providence
For Your mercy, loud hosanna
Always let our thanks commence
Though You suffered dehydration,
Let us trust complete salvation
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity.

6                   Father God, Who art in heaven,
Turn Your eyes from all our sin
We know not the depths we’ve fallen
Purify our hearts within
Let the mercy from Your Word flow,
And our lives your saving grace show
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity.

7                   O my God, do not forsake me
Hold me close in every hour
Let no evil overtake me
Keep me from the tempter’s power
Though this world and flesh may charm me,
May they not prevail to harm me
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity.

8                   Let us all commend our spirits
To our Father’s loving hands
So that we may all inherit
Joyously a blessed end
Save us, Lord, from all our sorrows
Give us joy for all tomorrows
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity.

9                   Father God, Who art in heaven,
Hear the prayers Your children cry
To the cross may our lives beckon
And display Christ crucified
Let us always know Your favor
For through Christ, our only Savior,
Kingdom, power, glory be Thine unto eternity!

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License by Strength & Song Publishing

I originally wrote this song with a contemporary feel, but the band complained that the tune had too many triplets in it, and with another look, I realized it worked well in a more traditional setting using the tune “Bunessan” (LSB #789), best known as the tune to “Morning Has Broken.” So I offer the lyrics and both settings in multiple formats. It’s based on the creeds and works well as a credal song and possibly as a Sanctus or hymn for Christ the King Sunday (AKA The Last Sunday of the Church Year) or Trinity Sunday.

One thing to note: using Bunessan, the first 3 stanzas use the tune twice, so think of it as 8 total stanzas for the purpose of accompaniment.

I Believe the Mystery

1. One God Almighty, Maker of ages
Father of all, knit me in the dark
Spreading the cosmos, fueling the atom
Birthing the nova, watching the lark
Majesty, glory, pow’r without limit
Yet in His mercy, He calls me, “Son”
Crafted from clay Divine exhalation
Formed by the Master, Three Who are One

2. For my salvation from my rebellion
Womb of a virgin, sent forth His Son
Feet above heaven too weak to stand up
One became two so all may be one
Carried my weakness, suffered by Pilate
Nailed to a tree for us in our sin
Buried, descended, risen, ascended
Coming to claim us, merit through Him

3. Sevenfold Spirit binds us together
Sent to give life from Father and Son
Wiser than reason, greater than power
Pours out the gift that bonds us as one
Mystical Body, holy communion
Rising to life without sorrow or end
All by His grace, Divine mediation
Father yet Brother, King and yet Friend

B: Open our eyes, Lord, to those in blindness
Open our hearts, Lord, kindness to show
Open our hands, Lord, reaching in service
Open our mouths that Your world may know

C. Immortal Myst’ry, Maker of hist’ry
You have revealed to all through Your Word
Eternal gifted, penalty lifted
Freed us from bondage we’ve all incurred

©2012 Strength and Song Publishing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

I Believe the Mystery-Chord Sheet (docx: Contemporary, Chord Sheet)

I believe the mystery (pdf: Contemporary, Lead Sheet)

I Believe the Mystery (PowerPoint lyrics)

Contemporary tune:

LSBX file for Lutheran Service Builder