Friday, August 17, 2012

Zeke 37


A couple of folks commissioned songs from me as an AWAB fundraiser.  Here's the chords and lyrics the first one I wrote.  Not sure how to post an mp3 here, so let me know if you want the recording and I can email it to you.

Zeke 37
G / C/ Am/ F D

The little church's coffee hour
is fifty minutes out
a few people stand and argue
but I don't know what about

well the choir sang like angels
and the message it was fine
and the children were so precious
and it ended just on time

chorus: Em G/ Dm/ Dm/ F D
But the valleys in my world
are filled up with dry bones
and God's children wander hungry
and too many have no home

The church sign is freshly painted
with words of welcome without price
but I've never found much welcome
where everybody is just nice

And the preacher leaves the building
locks the door and turns the light
wondering as he finds his car keys
where will Jesus sleep tonight

And the valley of my city
is filled up with dry bones
and my friends wander hungry
and my people have no home

The deacons meeting is on Tuesday
and we'll talk about the plans
for the rummage sale and picnic
for the boiler and the cans

Wednesday night we come for dinner
and we cook a pot of soup
and we hear from some missionaries
and we hear from some youth

They bring us so many stories
show us pictures of such pain
as we're reaching for our checkbooks
we wonder if it's too late

And the valley of my family
is filled up with dry bones
and my heart is wandering hungry
and my sorrow finds no home


But tonight the wind is blowing
one of the deacons is up late
she's praying for her daughter
wondering how to stop their hate

And not too many miles distant
a kid is also sitting up
and he's reading in the Gospels
and wondering can he drink this cup?

And when it's time to choose the music
the choir director picks that song
that will only lead to trouble
but she can't reckon that it's wrong

And the guy who runs the diner
wakes up once again in tears;
when it's his turn to give the welcome
he will know to start from here

and the preacher doesn't know it
but the scripture coming round
is the one that lights the fire
is the one that breaks the ground

and sure enough on Sunday morning
three more strangers come in back
and one's sick and one is tired
and one's expecting an attack

and the table on that morning
is the same table as all these years
but it's a different invitation
and the bread casts out our fear

And in the valleys of our world
the wind blows once again
and our dry bones come together
and our hearts begin to mend


And a church that once was dry bones
picks up hospitality
and it turns out this band of pilgrims
could welcome even me.