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“In other words, we look at the world, we see some beautiful things and we see some horrible things, especially these days. And any world view has got to take that into account. That is a fact. And we can argue as long as we like about the theoretical side. If God is good and all powerful, why this and why that, why the other? and we never come to a satisfactory answer. So I propose another question equally difficult but I think it gets us a bit further. Granted that it’s like that, is there any evidence anywhere that there is a God who understands it? and to such an extent that I can feel?”

-John Lennox

There were many gods trying to solve pain

(and obviously none of them prevailed),

but each could have sold firewood in rain

for how well they were worshipped and regaled.

They promised time—if patience could be proved,

or joy—if justice could e’er be cajoled.

So banally they blustered and behooved

their followers with promises untold.

But one who never sold his message thus

engaged the problem in a different way.

Rather than argument or further fuss,

he chose to feel the pain, and chose to stay.

Nobody else did that. Nobody cared

enough to know us. No other god dared.