"Sometimes"

I sometimes sit and wonder,

Thinkin’ all I did survive,

Memories loud as thunder,

And thankful I’m alive.

Cattle wild that threatened,

Every time that you got near,

Their horns and hooves their weapon,

Being moved from there to here.

And snorty horses hard to handle,

Might swell up and you unseat,

When you hit the ground a scandal,

And you try not to repeat.

But beyond all those adventures,

Of the cowboy kind it’s true,

Were those old Spirit-quenchers,

What folks did and I did, too.

The hurt and pain and selfishness,

The crazy, outlaw path,

And short-sighted old forgetfulness,

Flirtin’ with the Good Lord’s wrath.

And yet I am still standing,

After all the devil stole,

And with God’s love demanding,

That my story should be told,

Of Jesus and His faithfulness,

To hold onto this boy,

Determined He my life to bless,

And fill me with His joy.

And through it all He said to me,

I’m yours and you are mine,

And even when I ran, you see,

He graced me all the time.

Some say it was the threat of hell,

And fear of what might be,

I’ve listened and I have heard tell,

That judgment was the key.

And I believe that God will judge,

And call us to account,

And from that truth I’ll never budge,

Nor diminish or discount.

But, oh, the grace He’s given me,

That won to Him my heart,

The never-ending love, you see,

He gave right from the start.

“He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire, He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.” (Psalm 40:2, NLT)

Some say it was the threat of hell that scared them into coming to Jesus. I'm not going to dispute anyone’s testimony. But ultimately God wants to deliver us from fear and replace it with the assurance of His love. I believe in hell and everything the Bible says about it, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness convinces us of our worth. He witnesses to our spirit that we have been adopted into His family and may call Him Daddy. This term of endearment can only come when you know you cannot earn His love nor can you diminish it. It is given freely based on His goodness alone. This truly is the truth that transforms. Let us live it!

Lord, help us faithfully respond to Your faithfulness, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mark Maggiori, used by permission. Thanks, Mark, and God bless you.