Beautiful Garden of Prayer

This hymn is one my mom would often play on the piano, with all of us gathered around to sing along. I couldn't find it in any hymnals that I have here at home. A quick search on the internet led me to the "Cyberhymnal" website, which has lyrics and MIDI melodies to thousands of hymns, plus info on the writers and composers. It's a great site and I'm now including the link to it with each hymn on this blog.

"The Beautiful Garden of Prayer"

Words by Eleanor Allen Schroll

Verse 1:

There's a garden where Jesus is waiting,

There's a place that is wonderfully fair,

For it glows with the light of His presence.

'Tis the beautiful garden of prayer.

Chorus:

Oh, the beautiful garden, the garden of prayer!

Oh, the beautiful garden of prayer!

There my Savior awaits, and He open the gates

To the beautiful garden of prayer.

Verse 2:

There's a garden where Jesus is waiting,

And I go with my burden and care,

Just to learn from His lips words of comfort

In the beautiful garden of prayer.

Verse 3:

There's a garden where Jesus is waiting,

And He bids you to come, meet Him there;

Just to bow and receive a new blessing

In the beautiful garden of prayer.

Cyberhymnal link: www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/b/e/beautgar.htm .

Another hymn likening prayer to a garden is the following:

"In the Garden"

Words by C. Austin Miles

Verse 1:

I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear,

Falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses.

Chorus:

And He walks with me,

And He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

Verse 2:

He speaks, and the sound of His voice

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody

That He gave to me,

Within my heart is ringing.

Verse 3:

I'd stay in the garden with Him

Though the night around me be falling,

But He bids me go;

Through the voice of woe

His voice to me is calling.

Cyberhymnal link: www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/t/g/itgarden.htm .

Because of singing these hymns as a small child, whenever I was out in our garden, I would imagine that Jesus was lingering nearby amongst the flowers. When I got older I realized that the garden was a metaphor for time spent in prayer. Tend your prayer garden today!