"I have sat beside a tiny crib,
And watched a baby die,
As parents slowly turned toward me,
To ask, "Oh, Pastor, why?"

I have held the youthful husband's head,
And felt death's heave and sign.
A widow looked through tears and said,
"Dear Pastor, tell me why?"

I have seen a gold-star mother weep,
And hold a picture nigh
Her lonely breast, and softly ask,
"Why, Pastor, why, oh, why?"

I have walked away from babyland,
Where stillborn babies lie.
A mother stretches empty arms,
And asks me, "Pastor, why?"

I have heard the white-tipped tapping cane,
Which leads a blinded eye,
And then a darkened, lonely voice
Cries, "Preacher, show me why."

I have caught a fiancee's burning tears,
And heard her lonely cry.
She held an unused wedding gown,
And shouted, "Pastor, why?"

I have heard the cancer patient say,
"Tis gain for me to die;"
Then look into his daughter's face,
And mutely whisper, "Why?"

I have seen a father take his life.
A widow stands nearby;
As little children say, "Dear Mom,
The preacher'll tell us why."

I've seen my mother stand beside
Two tiny graves and cry.
And though she'd never let me know,
I knew she wondered, "Why?"

I've heard an orphan faintly say,
Who gazed into the sky,
"Though Mom and Dad have gone away,
My preacher will know why."

I tiptoed to my Father's throne,
So timid and so shy,
To say, "Dear God, some of Your own
Are wanting to know why."

I heard Him say so tenderly,
"Their eyes I'll gladly dry,
Though they must look through faith today
Tomorrow they'll know why."

"If now they find the reasons that
Their hopes have gone awry,
In heaven, they will miss the joy
hearing Me tell why."

And so I've found it pleases Him
When I can testify,
"I'll trust my God to do what's best,
And wait to find out why."

Quoted from Joel A. Freeman, God Is Not Fair, New Leaf Press, Green Forest, AR, April 1994, pages 157-158.