Ph: Faith: So Many Questions! Poem by Brian Johnston

(A both serious and fanciful encounter with God)

1. There are so many questions that I have for God,
Oh my love, don't you feel the same way?
While it's true that we may just have met in this poem
You must know that I care what you say.
Like who made the Creator and then who made Him?
To infinity this clearly goes.
But a 'whole universe' that 'exists on its own? '
It's orgasmic! And that curls my toes.

It seems possible God could create this strange thing
Which some atheists call 'the big bang, '
Which puts God the creator at source once again
'Self-creation' becomes boomerang.
In the end science usually makes simple right
And in this case that doesn't seem odd
For it's clear that although God explains 'the big bang, '
'The big bang' just can't explain God.


2. Now some people think that for the Church to survive
That the Bible must 'un-airant' be
Though that leaves many liberals gasping for air
And I certainly mean to include me.
Didn't Christ turn established Church square on its head
And accuse experts of speaking trash
Their self-aggrandizements the flailings of the dead,
Their pronouncements the value of ash?

So where in the Bible does it claim to be true
That each man's take on it is Gospel?
The foolishness of this thought clearly would make the
Deity of mere men possible.
And Christ spoke in parables, while I am on it,
While they may contain truth, are they true?
Shifting sand's the ground literalists stand on,
I don't want God's Church built there, do you?


3. I suspect overall that our God is too small
Modeled after folks tied down with chain,
A God that's too small is really no God at all
And our saying we know Him just vain.
Today's Kingdom of Grace has become one of fear
As we try to trap God with His Word,
Surely our doing battle with Father or Son
Trying to save ourselves is absurd.

So what does it mean to believe in Christ Jesus?
And how can I be cleansed in Christ's flame
I think it is clear you should be different from Satan
And he certainly knows Jesus' name.
In fact one could divine Satan knows Christ is real
A fact Satan will take to his grave.
But Satan's not willing to walk in Christ's footsteps
And that's whom God chooses to save.


4. Surely there's nothing wrong with our questioning God
For God commands us, 'Forbid them not, '
'Suffer the little children to come unto me .'
Does that sound like God's wrath is our lot?
It is true of course, we know that God gets angry
But His essence still always is Grace.
It is not who you are, it is just what you do
That can make Him get into your face.

With Karen Armstrong now alive on the scene
It is clear that God's heart is still showing
When she says 'Doubt is not the opposite of faith...
Certainty is! ' A huge debt to God I am owing.
For certainty is certainly not my standard
And sometimes that does give me pause.
But the Grace that I feel in God's presence
Is what brings me to peace with His laws.


5. So now that we've managed to clear up some big stuff
Let's tackle some things that are fuzzy
Like Jesus would frequently call God his 'father'
But God could not have a thing, does He?
I'm sure that some ladies will not be too happy
To hear that God's not one of their clan
Remember the Bible says God's church is His bride,
Not much room there for doubt He's a man.

Women
'But if that's really true He's not me, more like you,
No way could that ever be called fair.
Thanks a lot! Doesn't seem much like heaven to me
Woman still dragged around by their hair. '
Men
'Hold on now, wait a bit: Please! let's not have a fit
Seems like men have a right to feel blue!
Even though we are all getting married to God
Recall men are to be His bride too! '


6. If science and traditional faith disagree
Then it's clear that there is something wrong
One could ignore it but both come from God
So take care if the science is strong.
Intelligent scholars of Biblical truth say
Creation is six thousand years past
But science proves this wrong over 4 billion years
In one universally huge blast.

The Bible was written two thousand years ago
For folks who knew little of science.
When you speak to a child, you know he's not adult,
And you use what we call common sense,
Not hard to accept that the Bible is dated,
Don't stew over it for heaven's sake.
This isn't a sign that our God would mislead us,
He who died for you is not a fake.


7. And now for an odd bit, just where does Science fit
With God's gift of Grace for the many?
'Seek, you shall find, knock and it be opened to you: '
As good a definition as any.
'Every good and perfect gift comes from the father.'
I am grateful to God for His Word.
And you devil's children who call God's gift evil,
For repentance I offer a bird.

Our God's revelation to man is ongoing,
With faithfulness through all the ages
The only requirement of mankind it would seem
Is willingness to turn the pages.
Not just pages of Bible but pages of stars
Which are surely God's heart written large.
Let us follow Him to where new worlds conquer fear
And our service to LOVE so discharge.