Fragmentary Knowledge

Have you ever been puzzled by Bible’s advice That we “let the dead bury the dead.” Once it gave me the feeling that God’s veins were ice It was quite hard to see this as love But I now think it separates wheat from the chaff Service owed to the living instead Shouldn’t focus so much on our own epitaph. If there’s life after death, then the dead are with God And through Grace is His Justice proclaimed! Our attempts at controlling His judgment seem odd, Where's our faith then in heaven above? Earthly monuments fragile as memories fade Even gravesites these days are reclaimed Without God every soul’s last encounter is spade. Modern man thinks that Science disproves God a lot But did God not create Science too? Possibility Biblical insight is rot Ours to tell God that He is confused? We explore God’s creation like “walk in a park,” Like a child trying on his dad’s shoe, Almost clueless, our best guesses flash in the dark.  Using Bible to cover our barely clad sin Lacks humility, honor and trust Desert exodus, God’s love still taking us in. After flood subsides mercy diffused And the greatest of gifts, His son’s death on the cross, On our own we return to the dust, Yet men count their mortality only as loss. And the greatest of mysteries still is man’s soul Is it true? Is it there, is it not? But if we do not have one then what is angst’s goal? Without soul then our death is just sleep! Every night is a preview of death but for dreams So it seems that we practice a lot But if there there’s a chance that God’s Love still redeems. When I look at the world I see beauty to share And in evil and good I see choice, These creations don’t seem to show God’s lack of care But a freedom that penetrates deep. For God’s God is the love that He feels deep inside And as children we too have a voice, For our God serves His God with an infinite pride. Brian Johnston January 5, 2015