Herding Sheep
Updated: Nov 15, 2019
In the novel, “The Solace of Leaving Early” by Haven Kimmel (which I highly
recommend!) there is a preacher who ruminates about his sermons. He tells of
seeing a nature program on the habit of herding dogs. Apparently there are two
types of herders; one gathers the sheep in by running at the sheep, barking at them
and nipping at their heels. The other pretends to be a sheep.
Which kind of God do you believe in?
Honest to God
I pray (to)
Our Father who art not in heaven*,
because heaven’s just too far away.
I need a god who has dirt
under his fingernails, mud
between his toes, a tear-
stained face. A god
whose eyesight Is failing,
who has insomnia
and an aching back.
A god who has lost a job,
lost a home, lost a child.
A god who has lost himself
at times. Heaven is no place
for a god. We need a god
who stands in our shoes,
who knows what it means
to bungle along, to fail,
to fear, to err. This god
I could pray to.
~ Penny Hackett-Evans
*First line taken from a line by Anna Karmienska
This is a great god to know. In fact, as you describe this god, it is as if we are all gods. With that responsibility, may we all create the world in which we want to live. Thank you for this poem this morning, Penny. Oh, and I loved the sheep dog story, too. :)
This god I too could pray to, even genuflect! Love this god and your poem