They had come to board a ship, tickets tightly held in hand,
Twenty years they’d spent, as missionaries, in a foreign land.
Feeling drained and weary, they boarded the waiting ship,
Struggling with the suitcases, they’d often held in their grip.

Now upon that ship’s stained deck, they stood waiting to depart,
Grappling with mixed emotions, deeply burdened in their heart.
Unnoticed and unknown, they stared at the dock below,
Whereupon a car appeared, midst cheers that began to grow.

A person rather famous, judging by the crowd that grew,
Quickly boarded the same ship, safely ushered by its crew.
Soon he disappeared from sight, into the bowels of the ship,
And throbbing motors signaled, they’d begun their homeward trip.

The couple who’d been watching, now turned to face each other,
But emotion deeply felt, the husband could not smother.
A tear trickled down his face, and she heard her husband say,
“Twenty years of sacrifice, and not one soul, cheered us today.”

The rather famous person, who had boarded the same ship,
Often strolled about the deck, drinks held firmly in his grip.
One couldn’t help but notice, all the treatment this man got,
And admirers of this man, were not difficult to spot.

After many weeks at sea, the ship sailed into port,
And as soon as it had docked, the reporters this man sought.
Midst another growing crowd, and more cheers that rent the air,
He slid into a limousine, that departed who knows where.

Soon the couple had embarked, and now homeward made their way,
Thinking of their humble home, where they’d often knelt to pray.
Once there, they paid the driver, who’d driven them to their door,
Then they made their way inside, dropping suitcases on the floor.

Exhausted from their journey, they soon slumped into their chairs,
Where, once again she noticed, her dear husband’s trickling tears.
Taking hold his hands in hers, she asked midst tears trickling too,
“Does it still upset you, Love, that no cheers rang out for you?”

With lowered head he nodded, and then heard his sweet wife say,
“Tell God how you’re feeling, Love, He’s waiting for you to pray.
I’ll just wait here in this room, and later, when you come back,
You can tell me what He said, while our clothing I unpack.”

Soon her husband had returned, from the room where he had prayed,
And her breast heaved with a sigh, for a smile was displayed.
“Please tell me what He said, Love, for I know that our God cares,
And that He always answers, His dear children’s heartfelt prayers.”

“Well, I told Him we’re so weary, how we’ve sacrificed for years,
Unnoticed and unknown, how I’d envied all those cheers.
I told Him that I love Him, but had envied all that fuss,
And how, secretly I’d wished, the receiver had been us.”

“I listened for an answer, hoping something I might hear,
Concerned that my behaviour, may have turned away His ear.
But kneeling beside my bed, feeling anxious and upset,
I clearly, heard a voice say, “Patience, son, you’re not home yet.”

We welcome your comments:

Painting by Mary T. Hoffman - God's Creation in Art

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