but where is the lamb. . .?

The child asks the question

for which his father has no answer,

save that his strange and fearsome God

will provide. And in the end, we,

along with the unquestioningly faithful man,

discover a hapless ram caught by its horns

in a thicket; providentially available

to be offered up in place of the child.

We all heave a sigh of relief,

assured that this terrifying deity

has a heart and is still worth worshipping;

only testing.

It was never God’s intention

that the boy should be killed;

only testing.

It was never God’s intention

that a rampant humanity

should dominate and abuse;

only testing.

It was never God’s intention

that humankind, elevated to the position

of planetary supremo

should mortgage our children’s future;

only testing.

It was never God’s intention

that the obscenely wealthy

should buy and sell the poor;

only testing.

It was never God’s intention

that the anxious and the fearful

should trample on the rights of the foreigner,

and that the plight of the vulnerable

and the stateless should be so carelessly disregarded.

Only testing.

© Ken Rookes 2011