"Persevere"

Out there on the caprock,

Where it’s cedar breaks and dry,

For a cow to make a livin’,

It’s ‘bout root hog or die.

And the cowboys who look after,

They must do the same,

For it’s not without some effort,

That a man can play this game.

There’s athletes at the rodeo,

To them we tip our hat,

But the ones who ride the caprock,

We seldom know where they are at.

‘Cause they ride where there’s no signal,

Unless you count the wind,

That may tell when a norther,

Is bound to blow right in.

And summer turns to winter,

And it’s ten miles to the truck,

And he thinks he might get frostbit,

If he runs out of luck.

But he just keeps on going,

Till the cowboy work gets done,

No argument about it,

From dawn till setting sun.

The Good Book says it’s rare to find,

One who works right to the end,

Many might appear that way,

But they are just pretend.

But when someone is steady,

Stays when others quit,

They’re the ones to count upon,

They persevere, that’s it.

And finally what matters,

Isn’t how the journey starts,

But more about where you end up,

The sum of many parts.

Go with those who understand,

That we should go all in,

Find the ones who persevere,

Right until the end.

“…because the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:3-4, NIV)

The scriptures put a premium on perseverance. When faith is tested, and it will be, it’s like a muscle that is being strengthened through exercise. The end result is that we’re strong enough and have ample stamina to withstand whatever comes. Becoming mature and complete and not lacking anything sounds great. But without perseverance this is impossible. When we keep on keeping on, by the grace of God, we become reliable, proactive followers of Jesus. God can count on us and so can everyone else.

Lord, teach us to persevere, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bill Owen, used by permission. (cowhorsegallery.com)