"Full Out"

 I sat with this young cowboy,

The steak was chicken fried,

And as we talked he opened up,

‘Bout things he’d rather hide.

And really I don’t blame him,

For at that age, you see,

I was thinking ‘bout myself,

Far too absorbed with me.

And all the things I wanted,

With skills I thought I had,

In hindsight God surprised me,

And now that makes me glad.

I could tell that this young cowboy,

Was really quite a hand,

Had his share of young success,

And proudly wore his brand.

But he’d begun to doubt himself,

‘Cause deep down in his heart,

He struggled with the Savior’s call,

And what would be his part.

If he said yes without reserve,

And served the Lord full out,

Could he still be a top hand,

And what it’s all about,

To be God’s man, and take a stand,

While cowboy to the core,

Or must he rein it all back in,

Not as much, or more.

And what would you have counseled,

Would you say he’d have to quit,

Or would you talk surrender,

And death to self, that’s it.

Well, that is the advice I gave,

To seek God’s Kingdom first,

Trust the Lord with all his heart,

And God would quench his thirst.

And that’s just what he went and did,

When we parted ways,

A cowboy by the grace of God,

Full out for Jesus all his days.

“My old self has been crucified with Christ…” (Galatians 2:20, NLT)

Someone has said that the Christian life is a way of death before it can be a way of life. Bonhoeffer said that when Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die. What is this all about? It’s about our old selfish, egotistic control. This is what must die so that Christ may reign and rule in our hearts. This is the necessary component to being filled with the Spirit. It’s all about surrender to His control, and denouncing our own. This does not mean that we deny who we are or the talents and experiences God has given us. It does mean that all that we have and all that we are become subservient to the Lord and we allow Him to redefine us, as He wills. We pray, as Jesus did, not my will but Yours be done.

Lord, help us to die to our selfishness and live only and always for You, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mark Maggiori, markmaggiori.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Mark, and God bless you.