an outsider in our churches

lamenting our failures, our disobedience
forgetting who and whose we are
beloved children of God
seeing so many lost, cast out
an outsider in our churches

not feeling loved, welcomed
by us, by God, judged,
found wanting, broken
alone in our pews

judged for their sin, found unworthy
though we are broken, sinners,
redeemed by Christ's blood
we too are unworthy
but for God's grace, God's mercy,
Christ's loving sacrifice.



Colossians 3:12

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 52,540+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.