What in the Name of Christ Would We Know About That!?

by Jane Tawel

What in the Name of Christ Would We Know About That?!?!

By Jane Tawel

May 29, 2021

*

I see a lot of posts and hear,

a lot of folks who rage or fear,

about the suffering that they do,

and how they pray for me and you.

They don’t seem usually to reflect,

on how they’re getting what they get,

but think instead that God should bless,

them more than He should bless the rest.

*

And as we privileged ones complain,

I ask myself, (and them) again:

As we grow rich and we grow fat,

While others live their lives with scat;

We say our prayers like God’s spoiled brats,

Yet, claim to God, we’re working at,

Salvation like we’re in combat,

Republican or Democrat,

We choose a team and go to bat.

And when we pin them to the mat,

We prove again and again that,

We don’t know Christ worth diddly-squat.

*

What can we all be thinking of,

when we plead with some God above,

for healing, when we have a Doc,

while others don’t — oh, what a crock!

What makes us think that God is listening

to all our nationalist dissenting,

political — religious too — 

muck up our prayer life’s point of view.

*

We don’t look at the systems which,

keep most folks poor, while few get rich.

Nor do we end the world’s sad squalor;

Our gods are Euros, Yen, and Dollars.

When Bibles are turned red, white blue,

we’ve really lost God’s Point of View.

I don’t know when to cry or laugh,

as we dance round the Golden Calf.

*

It wouldn’t otherwise be funny,

to see our gods have become money,

except we think we are more smart,

than Man and Woman at The Start.

The Tree of Knowledge has been gotten,

but at its roots, it still is rotten.

If only we could try to fathom,

the calling of The Second Adam.

*

For hoarding and for wanting more,

We bang on Heaven’s Silent Door.

And while the ones who have no voice,

take crumbs we give — (they have no choice);

we still think God can hear our prayers,

though we neglect to serve and care.

And as we grow more proud and fat,

and treat His grace like our doormat,

God turns His face and asks and asks:

“What in God’s Name would you know about that?”

*

I know lots of religious folks,

(who’ve sort of made God’s Love a joke).

And yet when I look at our life,

I don’t see too much lack or strife.

We pretty much have every thing

and so I keep on wondering,

“What kind of God do we believe in,

when we don’t see our own deep sin,

of only taking and not sharing,

of only praying and not caring?”

We use God as if He’s our Tool,

and use His Word like prideful fools.

*

Oh, please forgive me, God above,

for thinking that You only love,

the ones that look or speak like I,

or that my goal is in the Sky.

Forgive my treatment of the Earth.

Create in me a true Re-birth

that sees all others as Your Own,

and nurtures this world as Our Home.

I pray, Yahweh, O God on High:

Restore my faith, but crucify,

my selfish, foolish, sinful pride.

I’ll never know the Depths or Why’s,

of how You seek the weak and lost.

Help those who love, take up our cross,

and follow in the footsteps of,

the Son of Man, the Man of Love;

Who showed us how to live like Him,

if we will only just begin,

to give up what we think need,

and Love’s True Word, to trust and heed.

*

There once upon a space and time,

lived a Great One, who was divine.

Part prophet, rabbi, brother, friend,

He came to us to love and mend

the ways that we have lost our way.

He offers now to walk today,

beside us, and to live within,

and help us, over sin, to win.

He paid Love’s ultimate true price,

and we who follow in sacrifice,

will know what it means to Be Christ.

For in The Way, and only then,

will we be wholly born again,

into The Life, The Truth, The Way.

Now, let us pray,

“Give us today,

just what we need, and nothing more.”

Christ stands and knocks upon the door,

of every heart, and every soul,

and offers Love to make us whole.

*

The Truth, The Word, The Way, The Tao,

is not in history, but in The Now.

The Path of Christ is deep and slim,

and we who claim to honor Him,

must listen to His words by fearing,

just how far we have been veering,

from what The Teacher actually said;

not only claiming, now He’s dead,

that we can have eternity,

without our soul’s fraternity,

with what The Christ came here to do,

which was to change both me and you;

and get the whole World realigned,

with God’s Plan to make All, Divine.

*

The Way is open to all, but narrow.

Christ imparts worth, “more than a sparrow”.

The Earth is ours to daily cherish.

The Lie of Death will one day, perish.

*

Oh, Our Great Spirit and Creator,

Help me to change my wrong behavior.

Forgive us as we seek to forgive.

Help me to die, so I might live.

And live as One, and live apart,

and ask Christ into mind, will, heart.

*

Oh, Parent, Mother, Father, One,

when Christ said, “God, Your will be done”;

he didn’t mean by only him.

So, in this moment, help me begin,

to not treat life as some grand game;

but from The God Who Has No Name;

as gift and grace, help my small aim,

to follow You in all I do.

*

Create in me, God, through and through,

the Love that Christ has called me to.

Amen.

©Jane Tawel 2021