You who live in heaven
Hear the prayers of those of us who live on earth
Who are afraid of being left by those we love
And who get hardened by the hurt.
Do you remember when You lived down
here where we all scrape
To find the faith to ask for daily bread?
Did You forget about us after You had flown away?
Well I memorized every word You said.
Still I’m so scared, I’m holding my breath
While You’re up there just playing hard to get.
You who live in radiance
Hear the prayers of those of us who live in skin.
We have a love that’s not as patient as Yours was;
Still we do love now and then.
Did You ever know loneliness?
Did You ever know need?
Do You remember just how long a night can get?
When You were barely holding on
And Your friends fall asleep
And don’t see the blood that’s running in Your sweat.
Will those who mourn be left uncomforted
While You’re up there just playing hard to get?
And I know you bore our sorrows
And I know you feel our pain
And I know it would not hurt any less
Even if it could be explained.
And I know that I am only lashing out
At the One who loves me most
And after I have figured this, somehow
All I really need to know
Is if You who live in eternity
Hear the prayers of those of us who live in time.
We can’t see what’s ahead
And we can not get free of what we’ve left behind
I’m reeling from these voices that
keep screaming in my ears
All the words of shame and doubt, blame and regret
I can’t see how You’re leading me
unless You’ve led me here
Where I’m lost enough to let myself be led.
And so You’ve been here all along, I guess.
It’s just Your ways and You are just plain hard to get.
“Hard to Get,” Rich Mullins
