For Angie and Daniel (October 2013)
Lord, God of Sara, Rebekah, and Rachel
God of the hopeless, surprised by joy;
and God of the myriads who have hoped,
only to be disappointed month after month.
Lord, God of those who are never mentioned,
never named, because they have no children;
and God of those surprised by joy, and anticipation,
only to be devastated by loss the next morning.
Why is it Lord, that those who want a child,
cannot get pregnant no matter what they do?
Or finally get pregnant, but it’s only a cosmic joke,
so that we believe – we hope again, until…
Meanwhile, those who do not want a baby,
those who do all they can to interrupt
and prevent your design from working;
they are the ones who get pregnant.
The teens in the backseat of the car,
whose greatest fear is being late;
parents with seven children,
who can’t seem to stop anything.
The couple two years from an empty nest,
with shocking news one morning;
the affair that became more complicated
than either she or he ever imagined.
Why dear God, can’t you give children,
to those who so desperately want them?
To families who would receive them
with open arms full of love?
Why dear God, do you get our expectations up,
only to dash our hopes against a rock?
To take our two precious babies,
Lola and Jude, away from us,
when they were so close, so near?
God, your world makes no sense today,
you, oh Lord, no longer make sense.
Where is your fairness, your justice,
your steadfast love that lasts forever?
We are confused and hurting,
because you have let us down.
Our story did not have to end this way,
if only you had been here Lord.
So now, please tell us, what are we to say,
to those who ask about our children?
Oh God, what are we to do on
Mother’s Day and Father’s Day?
Lord, God who wept at the tomb of Lazarus,
and God who weeps with us today,
we call to you on behalf of Angie and Daniel,
for their parents and their brothers.
Love them Lord,
when they are angry with you,
and weep in your arms.
Love them.
Love them Lord,
with friends who will walk alongside,
on good days and hard days.
Love them.
Love them Lord,
protect them from believers with easy resolutions,
and idiotic platitudes that slice like daggers.
Love them.
Love them Lord,
draw them closer to each other,
allow nothing to pull them apart.
Love them.
Love them Lord,
let your church be your body,
to protect, hold, and nurture.
Love them.
Love them Lord,
today and tomorrow, the day after,
and the day after that – always.
It is the least and most we can ask.
Love them.
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