Faith

---

Woe is me!
For the Lord
has added
sorrow
to my pain;
I am weary
with my groaning,
and I find
no rest.
[Jeremiah 45:3]
***********************
"Aren't you supposed
to be doing something
else, right now,
My precious?"

"Huh?
(Thoughtful squint.)
Eh....yeah.
Yeah, I'm GETTIN' to it,
LORD!"

[NOD.]
"When, child?"

"HEY!
(Frown up at ceiling vent.)
Come ON, LORD!
I was WORKIN' all day!
(Grimmace.)
I felt like WRITING,
OKAY?"

[PATIENT FROWN.]
"Yes, My beloved."

"Aw! Come ON, LORD!
Hey, I've been GOOD!"

[CHUCKLE!]

"Well.....HAVEN'T I?"

[SILENCE.]

"Hey, I'm NOT PERFECT!
OKAY?
(Blow a raspberry up at the air vent.)
Listen, LORD: if YOU
didn't make me PERFECT
on the OUTSIDE......
HOW D'YA expect
me to be PERFECT on
the INSIDE?
(Sassy smile!)
HUH?"

[PATIENT SIGH.]

"WELL?
It's TRUE; AIN'T it?"

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

"And, that's a POINT,
Lord! Why DIDN'T Ya
make me better on the
OUTSIDE? HUH?"

[Frown.]
"Read My Word,
beloved."

"Oh, You mean that
part about the POTTERY,
and STUFF?"

[SILENCE.]

"Sure; here it is, Lord:

Shall the potter
be regarded
as the clay;
that the thing
made should say
of its maker,
He did not make me....?
[Isaiah 29:16]

and this one:

Behold,
like the clay
in the Potter's hand,
so you are in
My hand......
[Jeremiah 18:6]

Is THAT what Ya mean, LORD?"

[NOD.]
"Perhaps so,
My child."

(Frown at ceiling fan.)
"Well, I have cause for
COMPLAINT, LORD!"

"Why now, My precious."

"Cuz;
(Smile!)
I think Ya left me in the
KILN, too darn LONG!"

[SMILE.]

"You made a big MESS'a
me, LORD!
(Grimmace up at ceiling fan.)
WHY?
Why d'Ya DO it, LORD?"

[SILENCE.]

"How COME?
Wha'd Ya HAVE AGAINST
me, ANYHOW?
What FOR?"

[NOD.]
"Out of great love for you,
My blessed child."

"LOVE?
ECH!
PLEASE!
LOVE?
Gimme a BREAK!"

[CHUCKLE.]

"NO WAY!"

[SILENCE.]

"That's BOLOGNA, Lord!
And, KOSHER bologna,
at THAT!"

[LAUGH!]

(Laugh!)
"That's right, Lord!
I forgot!
(Smile.)
You ain't Kosher,
anymore: ARE Ya?"

[SMILE.]
"Tell Me, child."

"REMEMBER?
That part about PETER?
And, that SHEET?
With all the ANIMALS?"

"Where, child."

"Here!
Here it is:

....he became hungry,
and desired something to eat;
....and saw the heaven
opened, and something
descending like a great sheet....
....in it were all kinds of animals...
...there came a Voice to him,
Rise, Peter.
Kill and eat.
[Acts 10:10-13]

Don't Ya REMEMBER, LORD?"

[PATIENT NOD.]

"Yeah, that's the part
when You decided to stop
bein' KOSHER. REMEMBER?"

[PATIENT NOD.]

"So.......kosher or not,
Lord, it's all a bunch'a bologna."

"What is, child?"

"All this love stuff: the
reason why You made me
such a mess. I don't BELIEVE
it. Uh, UH!"

[NOD.]
"Perhaps, child:
[LONG PAUSE.]
that is what I am working on."
***************************
So I went to the potter's house,
and there he was working
at his wheel.
And the vessel he was
making of clay
was spoiled in the potter's hand,
and he reworked it
into another vessel,
as it seemed good
to the potter
to do.
[Jeremiah 18:3-4]

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE