The Question No One Asked

'Twas in your rush to relevance, when you played switcheroo,
And changed the questions asked of me, as you were wont to do;
The older set preamble had which set a context fair,
And asked a pointed question which said, “Answer if you dare”.

It asked point-blank:  “In coming here to be ordained tonight,
Before we ask if you will preach no favour, fear, or flight,
We need to know just why you're here – your motive if you please,
And if you answer yes to us, you'll get down on your knees”.

“Your motive first – a Kingdom zeal? Is that what brings you here?
Or does some other goose of yours takes lead – please now reveal”.
For trained we were for several years to think about our choice,
For we were heading to a “Vee” and needed no remorse.

Our training was a focused task, the end from first had been,
Three questions they would ask of us, with motive clearly seen;
So every choice, and course we took, all internships, and skills,
Were focused by that final quiz, no room for extra frills.

But that was age of relevance, those 60's years of fun,
A slap-dash attitude prevailed when anything was done;
They got four trumpets, sang refrain like mantra through their praise,
And stirred emotions with the sound of prayer for wishes raised.

They pulled a switcheroo I saw, so much to my dismay;
And changed the focus-questions, just allowed me ‘yae’ or ‘nay’.
And as for motives of my heart, they did not care a whit –
I could have said, “Why, power”, or “cash” – or “girls”, come think of it.

I shook my head when first I saw these changes to their quiz
Just moments prior to the time of ordination biz.
I turned to God, “What should I do, I'm not prepared for this?”
“Just answer like the old were there, and seal it with a kiss”.

So when the service rolled around to ordination time,
I answered in my head straight out what motive here was mine:
“Why yes, it is a zeal for your Kingdom Lord”, I said,
“Which takes the lead, like goose in Vee – all other motives led”.

Three other questions (can't recall) they asked of me that night;
I answered in my head the ones prepared – no fear or flight;
That set the stage for what would come – our parting of the ways,
As over time our paths diverged – each followed Jesus’ ways.

As I think back they never asked at any time about
My motives, or lead goose for me, through pleasant days or route;
One time they even caught a slip when I re-entered in –
Insisted I come back and state quite clear what thought had been –

‘Would I obey the will of church, be at their beck and call?’
But how they worded it I found was biggest joke of all:
“Are you prepared to knuckle down, cow-tao, and genuflect
To us, the leaders of the pack? let's hear you answer that”.

They even printed on the page the answer I must give;
Insisted I embellish not, thus slip their precious sieve;
I looked again and he grinned within, “I Am” the answer sought –
I stood right up and said to them, “I am” [which God had wrought].

All that aside, both aspects stand, my motives and my ways:
“Is zeal for Jesus' kingdom still what guides you through your days?”
And “Are you at the beck and call of folks who threw you out?”
My answers, “yes” to first, of course, and “no” without a doubt.

I did not ask to get thrown out, whatever motive theirs;
I did not violate there will, despite their pompous airs;
Nor did I fight them in their acts (I wanted to of course),
For Jesus said, “Be still and let them squander scant resource”.

If they had taken little time to ask about the “why”
They would have understood right quick that I would rather die
Than genuflect to sinful ways they'd chosen to behave –
But hey! There is a larger world, than that which Jesus saves.

Eternal is the world I have selected in the vee
To be the leader of the flock of motives here in me.
I have a ‘hundred list’ of things to do before I die,
And ‘wish list’, poems, novels twelve – the wine in cup is high.

But underneath, around, on top, and running through and through,
A central motive permeates all thoughts and things I do:
my zeal is for the Kingdom where my Lord and Saviour reigns –
That's what it's all about for me, the rest behind remains.

Now as I find myself in here – just past those pots of gold
Which lie beneath this rainbow-gate to Giver-land of old,
I ask myself, “What would you do, if there were no restraints?”
“Why nothing's changed, aside from bumps, and chips on surface paint –

“The lead-goose in my vee of life is as it was before:
“A zeal for the Kingdom of the Saviour I adore”
Behind that goose there's quite a flock, but as I found at trial
When push is shove, I'll stick to Him, and let Him lead the while –

“My days on Earth continue thus, as I my lungs employ,
He is my Lord and Saviour – now as man, as when boy;
Oh sure, I'd love to parish lead – a church, with steps of stone,
And picket fence, a quiet life, and wife with me at home –

But if the cost of doing that is a loss to base of life,
‘Not interested’, is my reply for me, as for my wife.
My job within that larger scene? Expression of my zeal:
His kingdom come as up in heaven – to make that vision real.

So let them have their silly ways of power trips and such;
It is beside the point for me – though I care very much –
For now I do appreciate their need to seek their way –
For that's the path I also took – it brought me here today.

So Lord, as now I move within this Giver-land of yours,
I say a parting prayer for them, for they're your girls and boys –
“Be with us, guide us, and protect us from the evil one,
And lead us as Your vee of geese, to our eternal home.”

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