"Jump"

The horse that taught me how to ride,

Corky was his name,

Old gelding slow and steady,

And every day the same.

He still would watch the cattle,

Old, but quick enough,

To turn back errant livestock,

And, man, that horse was tough.

But if you rode to water,

He’d just wade across,

Never jumped a single ditch,

And that was just because,

That old pony was so gentle,

Knew I was on his back,

And no doubt about it,

He always stayed on track.

Fast forward to my teenage years,

New horse and whole new tasks,

That buckskin could really move,

Lots of turn and fast.

If out chasing yearlings,

To doctor or to pen,

If you came to a gulley,

He’d jump that thing and then,

Never miss a single stride,

You’d better have your seat,

‘Cause he was gonna put you there,

A good one, hard to beat.

So my memory asks the question,

For the jump are you all set,

Or will it surprise you,

With an unwelcome threat.

Jumping can be joyful,

See what the Good Book said,

The Spirit made ‘em shout and leap,

In the name of Jesus led.

So do not fear the happy jump,

It’s the perfect thing to do,

If you’re ready let ‘er go,

It might be good for you.

“With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.” (Acts 3:8, NAS)

The man had never walked before since he was crippled from birth. What a shock it must have been when Peter and John pulled him to his feet, in the name of Jesus Christ. To say the least, his response to the healing was exuberant! But can you blame him? And this is not meant to “doctrinalize” “walking and leaping and praising God.” It’s simply the observation that when the Lord gets ahold of you in life-changing ways it may be okay to jump.

Lord, help us respond exuberantly to Your grace, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Teal Blake, used by permission. Thanks, Teal, and God bless you.