"Running"

Remember those old trucks running,

Day and night to haul the cattle,

And trottin’ out to gather steers,

Long hours in the saddle.

Remember times when those old crazies,

Were running brush like deer,

And we’d be right behind ‘em,

Trying to get those pastures clear.

Remember running after Daddy,

When he’d be in a hurry,

The man who taught me how to work,

And never pause to worry.

And guess we never thought about,

How fast the time was running,

That one day, my, how it would change,

In spite of all our gunning.

My mind still runs to cowboy times,

I recall and savor,

And though life’s pace is faster now,

I haven’t slowed the labor,

Of doing things that must be done,

And running through the hours,

Trusting each and every day,

To God’s grace and His powers.

And the promise of the prophet old,

Is that we won’t grow weary,

Though we’re running all the way,

It’s true and not some theory.

Running with endurance,

And dropping every weight,

With our eyes on Jesus,

Stay on the path that’s straight.

So cowboy up and cowboy on,

Running in the Spirit,

Still horseback after all this time,

Just older, more deliberate.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)

Our race begins when we give our lives to Jesus and ends when we step into heaven. Between the two we are encouraged to run with endurance, drop every weight, and keep our eyes on Jesus. The Spirit will energize our faithfulness and help us remember all the witnesses who preceded us. They suffered, pleased God with their faith, and finished the race. The caller message is since they were able to get it done, so can we, with God’s help. When Paul came close to the end he said that he had fought the good fight and finished the race. Every one of us should do the same.

Lord, help us run with endurance, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Clark Kelley Price, used by permission. Thanks, Clark, and God bless you.