Shepherd

God's hand that we think of as gentle
is anything but,
both calloused and unrelenting.

We come from naught
and return just as quickly to naught.
The interim gets no better.

In the parlance, we’re the image of God.
If so, God struggles, grows angry, gets lost, often limps,
even sometimes stumbles.

To this shepherd we come with our needs.
We are his sheep.
He corrals us with dog and with staff.

It seems sometimes life is rough.
But remember this: He made us because of his need.
He died for love.