What Good Is God?

God the noun. 
Good the adjective.
A simple “o” varies them. 

Last night exhausted not from the day
but from the burdens,
the perennial grief,
the confusion 

all of which I knew would
wake me in the morning
with a cold kiss 

I mouthed not a prayer but a question: 

“What good is God?
Truly. What good is God?” 

I listened, hoping I might hear
some goodly explanation. 

Crickets. 

I had discovered that God
is not a good conversationalist
so I made up this exchange: 

“Dear God,
is watching the world
just spectator sport to you? 

Couldn’t you get a little more involved?
All these prayers, God . . . what’s the use?” 

So you think you have prayed for bread
and I’ve given you a stone? 

“You could put it that way.”
Even if that were true, which it is not
what would your friend Jesus
tell you to do about it? 

“Do? Like . . . ?” 

Like return good for evil . . .
love your enemies . . .
Bless those that curse you . . . 

“I didn’t say you cursed me.” 

Like pray for those that mistreat you
or give you a stone instead of bread. 

“Pray for you?” I laughed.
“Pray for God?” 

If I don’t answer your prayers
you could answer mine
that’s what Jesus would say. 

“You pray?” 

Without ceasing. 

“For what?” 

I pray that you will not give me a stone
but that you will give me bread
that you will feed my sheep
feed my sheep. 

I kept waking in the night as warm little kisses
reminded me of the time after time dear ones
had lifted my stones
had given me bread
had fed this little sheep.

Pearson, C. L. (2020). Finding Mother God.