Where is God?

Some of my congregants were asking tonight—

Where is God right now,

right now when we need Them In the world

fighting for justice, exposing liars,

Lifting up the righteous, making the path clear?

Where is the God of Noah

Who promised to never destroy us again?

Where is the God

Of Avraham and Sarah

Who gave new life when they thought their time had passed?

Where is The God of Isaac

Who showed up with a ram

in the place of the knife in his father’s hand?

Where is the God of Joseph

Who gave the blessing of future knowing?

Where is the God of Moses,

The God who split the sea,

Who fed us coriander from the sky,

Who magically provided all that we need,

Who issued water from mythical wells and rocks?

Where is the God we bless for giving us life, sustaining us, and enabling us to reach this day?

Where is the God in whose names we praise?

Where is the God we know, Or have been told we know?

Where is the God of Purim, the God of— it works out in the end?

Where is the God of the ones who believed?

Where is the God of Sinai,

of revelation of mind blowing truth?

Where is the One we thank every day? The God we call One?

Where is God, any God, any God right now?

Another congregant said to me today—

“The God of predestination is not working for me;

God is every breath I breathe.”

Another said, “the God of punishment does not resonate with me.

Where is the God of meaning?”

I’ve outgrown the God who says, “listen to me or else!”

Who teaches to have the blindest faith.

I’m done with learning lessons,

choosing to have a king,

Or waiting for a man to come on a donkey

or white horse and save me.

It’s not a punishment to have to save ourselves—

I repeat: It’s not a punishment to have to save ourselves.

It’s a sacred trust never seen here before.

Where hope springs from within,

Where we learn to stand,

And map our own path,

choose our own battles

Or the way of peace for that matter.

Every Torah story has been a clue

Every lesson has been figures on cave walls

Of what we are capable of.

Don’t forget The God of Rivka gave her intuition.

The God of Hannah offered a listening ear.

The God of Jacob gave him the power to wrestle,

Who made 7 years of work pay off until Rachel was in his arms.

Where is the adult God

who doesn’t coddle you,

Or punish you

Or control every step of the way?

Is there such a thing? Will you believe?