Where are the Exiles?

Where are the exiles?

those of righteous souls

to come and fill my steeples

like sheep among the fold,

Where are the reaching hands

to help a brother out

to take a stand

and tell the world what poverty is about.

Where are the righteous exiles

doing work among the cities

taking chances among the needy

and not just looking at their file.s

Where are God’s Messengers

among the jails, the streets the gangs?

Are they sitting on the sidelines

wondering where it all began?

Are they looking at our history?

the rich pushing out the poor?

Are they looking to the future,

thinking thoughts not thought before?

Are they looking at their families,

the single mom of four,

whose husband has just walked out on her,

past the children and out the door?

Are they turning to their neighbors,

acting out in Christian love?

Or have the righteous

circled the band wagons,

refusing to open the door?

How long has God waited

for the exiles to return

to the people who are hurting

for my hope, joy, peace and love?

My friends WE are the exiles.

the ones who have not returned.

who have seemed to circle the band wagons,

leaving the impoverished voice unheard

Who will be our Nehemiah?

willing to take a stand.

Or how about our Moses,

leading the impoverished to the promised land

It doesn’t matter who you are.

God can use you just the same.

How long has God been waiting for the exiles to call on his name?