I Need an Answer

 

 

 

Who is this God

To whom we pray

And why does it often seem

Like he’s so far away?

 

Is he hard of hearing

That we often shout

Or is our problem too big

For him to work out?

 

Why do we nag him

With the same request

And then convince another

He does what is best?

 

Why do we pretend

That he answers prayer

When the same problem we had

Is still a bugbear?

 

Why do we tell another

He will come through

Once we just keep on praying

And trust as we do?

 

 

What is his success rate

In response to requests

Or does he delay his answer

As a kind of test?

 

Who gets a miracle

And how do we qualify

Since some are successful

And others are denied?

 

Is it not good

For we which we pray

So, why does God seem to say

It can’t happen today?

 

 

Is he working it out

And thus, it will take time

Since all the world’s problems

Must be on his mind?

 

Is there a queue

Like on the telephone

Where one is assigned a number

And awaits his turn?

 

Can you answer me

Why we nag God so

And why we often speak to him

Like he doesn’t know?

 

 

Does he need convincing

Before he would act

Or are the lines so jammed

We have to call back?

 

What is the difference

Re Baal’s prophets and God’s

If like them all we can do

Is call?

 

Does he answer you

And can you convince me

Or is your prayer just a ritual

That you do daily?

 

Stewart Russell © March 7, 2024

 

I's the Idiot and O's the Fool

 

An idiot is a stupid person

While a fool acts stupidly,

One is definitely what we see

The other appears what he be.

So what really is the difference?

Check these enviable characters

Since most people pretend to be

Or in fact they really are.

Since a person has a name

And he also has a nature,

We will start out with the first

And deal with the other later.

The name idiot has two “I’s”

While fool carries two “O’s”,

So you say that’s interesting

Why, even this writer knows.

I’ll take your cheeky remark

With just a little twinge,

For the way I see you behave

You’ve gone beyond the fringe.

Putting aside that little aside

Back to the name I will go,

For at the end I’ll get the chance

To say that I told you so.

 

Check out the “I’s” in idiot

Shouldn’t he be able to see?

May be more he needs to get

For them to form a company.

So to the “O’s” there are in fool

Sockets they could very well be,

But brought together into one

Perhaps they both would see.

For eyes are never stand-alone

But created in sockets to see,

So while apart though boastful be

There is just blind futility.

From the name to the nature

Is the promise I made,

Thus in just a little while

I will complete this escapade.

Remember how I started out

Comparing the idiot and the fool,

Notice they are quite alike

Both have been to school.

 

Through primary and secondary

And even through University

Came out believing that he alone

Was by himself an entity.

Thinking he could do it all alone

He had no regard for others

But like the ones who tried before

Still ended up a failure.

To the conclusion of this matter

Do pay close attention,

Lest like the idiot you end up

With the fool’s comprehension.

 

For some of us may see something

That the others don’t perceive,

But with our eyes and their sockets

The abundance can be achieved.

For we are meant to work together

Yes, the idiot and the fool,

Your eyes and my sockets

Were each meant to be the tool.

To fashion a citizenry of wisdom

And on one another rely,

To God to look for vision

Who has promised to supply.

For you are no better than I

And I hope by now you know

That I have come to that part

Where I must say, “I told you so.”

                                    Stewart Russell © 2014