"Drover"

Back when the old time drovers,

Went up those long trails north,

I wonder if they ever thought,

That one day we’d hold forth,

With poetry and ballads,

And books and movies, too,

To commemorate their journeys,

And all they had to do.

My guess it never once occurred,

To hardly any one,

That they would be remembered,

Once their ride was done.

The weather, rivers, outlaws,

The broncs and wild old cattle,

The threat from native hostiles,

And months long in the saddle.

The hardships of rough country,

The miles when they were bored,

With nothing like convenience,

As the rails they pointed toward.

And as I think about it,

What then occurs to me,

Is what will they remember,

About our lives, you see.

We all become a story,

That someday will be told,

By those who go on living,

Will it be tame or bold?

Did we have adventures,

Or did we play it safe,

Did we let our fears control,

Or did we walk by faith?

And most of all I wonder,

If they’ll say we loved the Lord,

Did we represent Him,

And live life by His word?

Like those old time drovers,

We’re only passing through,

I pray we give folks reason,

To remember what we do.

“They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back…”, (Hebrews 11:13-15, NLT)

The perspective of being a foreigner and nomad on this earth describes the attitude of all who live by faith. We realize that our earthly journey transcends this existence and extends to eternity. Every place we call home on this side is temporary, and we know it. Our eternal destiny is what matters most, and that’s why we spend no time grieving what we’ve left behind. Make no mistake about it, we want to make this life count, and live the abundant life Jesus died and was raised to give us. But it’s all about where we are going.

Lord, help us focus on living a life that will be worthy of memory and a rehearsal for heaven, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Teal Blake, tealblake.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Teal, and God bless you.