Eye of a Needle

A TRADITIONAL WAY OF PREACHING
ON THE CAMEL
AND
EYE OF A NEEDLE STORY
IS TO SAY
THERE WAS A GATE
IN JERUSALEM’S WALLS
LOW AND NARROW

A CAMEL COULD PASS THROUGH
IF HIS BURDEN WAS REMOVED
AND HE ENTERED ON HIS KNEES

A GOOD TEACHING STORY
BUT IT MAY NOT BE TRUE
THE EXPLANATION
IS NOT TRACED
BEYOND THE NINTH CENTURY

THEN WHAT DOES IT MEAN
THE SAYING WAS COMMON
IN THE MIDDLE EAST
A SAYING OF IMPOSSIBILITY

IN BAGHDAD
THE CAMEL
WAS REPLACED BY A ELEPHANT

IT’S POSSIBLE
THE WORD IS MISTRANSLATED
AND MEANS CABLE
HAWSER
LARGE ROPE

HOWEVER IT IS TRANSLATED
IT DENOTES IMPOSSIBILITY
AND YET THE BIBLE SAYS
JESUS
LOVED THE RICH YOUNG MAN
WHO ASKED THE QUESTION

SO BEING RICH
WASN’T WRONG
BUT WHAT HE DID WITH IT
HOW TIGHTLY
HE GRASPED
WHAT HE HAD
AND WOULDN’T SHARE

WE SAY TO THE WORLD
GOD LOVES YOU
HE HAS GIVEN YOU HIS SON
HE HAS GIVEN YOU REDEMPTION
HE HAS GIVEN YOU ALL OF CREATION
TO SHARE

THE HUNGRY IN DARFUR SAY
WHO’S MESSING WITH GOD’S PLAN

THE POOR IN
BRAZIL’S CLUTTERED SLUMS
SAY
WHO’S MESSING WITH GOD’S PLANS

THE VICTIM’S OF RELIGIOUS
AND RACIAL HATRED
SAY
WHO’S MESSING WITH GOD’S PLANS

THE SICK OF THE WORLD
UNABLE
TO PAY FOR MEDICINE
SAY
WHO’S MESSING WITH GOD’S PLANS

I’M SINGING AN OLD SONG
BUT THE MELODY
LINGERS IN MY EAR
LIKE AN EARWORM
ALWAYS IN MY EAR

I BELIEVE
IN GOD
ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE
WITHOUT THAT BELIEF
NOTHING MAKES SENSE
AND WE ARE NOTHING
BUT A BUNCH OF ATOMS
SPINNING AROUND THE SUN

I BELIEVE
THAT GOD
WITH MAN’S WORKS
CAN REDEEM CREATION
AND CHANGE THE SAYING
TO
WE NEED A SMALLER NEEDLE
THE CAMEL KEEPS FALLING THROUGH


FRANK A VOLLMER