My Prayer to God

- shirley freed

Dear God,

I was just wondering
if you had me in mind
when the four gospels were penned.

Those multiple portrayals of the
lived experience of Jesus on earth.

Did you know I'd need evidence from you

that multiple perspectives
are best for one truth?

Is that why you gave us four gospels -

so Christian researchers can see the power
of diverse experiences in your Word?

Matthew the tax collector
observed and recorded
things only a tax man would.

The gifts of the Magi
The privations of discipleship
The unequally paid laborers
The story of talents
The number of betrayer coins.

Matthew knew money in a way
The others could not!

And Luke the physician
had heightened perception
He noted the sick
He remembered the times
when people were healed

Raising the widow's dead son
Healing the crippled woman
Healing the ten lepers.

The power of your touch
burned in his mind
Luke could not forget the sick
His life was imbued with their life.

Each life experience was real
They could not forget
As they told Your story
They told their story!

Did you know God

That I as a researcher would find it so
hard to forget who I am

Forget how you've led
Forget what's happened to me

Sure! You knew that!

You created me
to experience my life.
In fact, you said,
"Live it abundantly"
So how could I forget
Who I am?

And neither could they!!

And did You know that one day

I would notice that Matthew and Luke
didn't order the events the same
in the story of your temptation?

And I would have to learn that
somehow it doesn't matter because
they were intent on a larger issue

Your trust in the power of Almighty God?
And so the order wasn't critical!

And God, when Jesus gave all those parables

Of just simple things
To show your kingdom grand and said,

"The kingdom of heaven is like a small mustard seed
The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field
The kingdom of heaven is like a net let down in the lake
The kingdom of heaven is like a man sowing good seed."

Did You know that one day I'd be wondering

Why multiple representations are so strong?

It's clear!
when the lesson was of greatest import
You chose multiple ways

Of course, you knew that!

You created us!
You know how different we are!
You knew that one would see and remember
what another would forget!

And that's OK
In fact, that's the only way it must be
because

You created us this way!