Quote

"Worship does not satisfy our hunger for God-it whets our appetite. Our need for God is not taken care of by engaging in worship-it deepens. It overflows the hour and permeates the week. The need is expressed in a desire for peace and security. Our everyday needs are changed by the act of worship. We are no longer living from hand to mouth, greedily scrambling through the human rat race to make the best we can out of a mean existence. Our basic needs suddenly become worthy of the dignity of creatures made in the image of God: peace and security."

-Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

Who?

I wrote this poem several years ago after someone I knew died of cancer, and I had to face the fact that I had been really self-absorbed and had more or less forgotten about them as they suffered - not intentionally, of course, but an "out of sight, out of mind" sort of thing. I figure it's not that hard to know what God's will is or how to do it, because it's summed up in the two greatest commandments: Love God and Love your neighbor... my "self" is pretty noisy though so somehow God's will becomes hard to do.

Who?

I saw your burdened, aching eyes
Heard the tremor in your voice
You tried to be brave

I met your news with sympathetic gaze
Promise of prayer
Encouraging embrace

But lost through cold indifference
Was persistent love
visits, support
Did I even remember to pray?

I watch many faces
Anguished, hollow
Feel twinges and twangs
Of helplessness, guilt, but

Imply agreement
With oppressors, destroyers
by my silence.

No! No!
Anger and injustice!
But I sat idle.

Your hardened, hurting eyes hit mine
asking,
Where was God when I suffered?

What can I say?

When He wanted to reach out,
I held back my hand.
How do I explain
Shutting the door on His tears?

Who would not comfort?
I who was not there.

Where is He? Where was He?
Bound by my refusal
Thwarted by my apathy.

Where was I when you suffered?
It was up to me.