a poem in my pocket

Lord, sometimes we just don’t understand
the mysterious ways you treat your children:
Abraham asked to sacrifice son of promise
Joseph jailed in Egypt for misjudged morals
Moses not allowed to enter promised land
Hosea told to marry an unfaithful prostitute
Zechariah murdered inside temple courts.

life can seem cruel and unfair in its dealings
as some people struggle disproportionately
do you stop your ears and turn your back?
sometimes your children suffer through no
sin of their own but because of others’ lies
we expect justice to prevail but if it doesn’t
can we believe you are sovereign over all?

try hard to quiet our questions and doubts
but sometimes we voice laments out loud
and, like Job, dare interrogate God of the
universe; human clay complains to potter.
we fall at your feet, cry hot tears, and rise
with hope in our hearts to bear burden of
doubt until your holy kingdom fully comes!