"Look"

I looked but didn’t see it,

But he said look again,

Just beyond that shadow,

Maybe you see him then.

I focused, concentrated,

I made my breathing slow,

And in just a minute,

That steer appeared you know.

He was hiding in a thicket,

One horn gave him away,

It stuck out just a little,

I had to focus in okay.

We went on and got him,

Pushed him back to home,

Got our ropes onto him,

Loaded, sent him on.

One of those that got away,

And learned so well to hide,

You really had to study,

And in you I’ll confide.

So many times I missed ‘em,

‘Cause I just couldn’t see,

The way my cowboy pardner,

Had figured out to be.

I’ve thought a lot about it,

To see what others don’t,

And also to have ears to hear,

Hear what others won’t.

For some it seems so natural,

But not for us, the rest,

They may find it easy,

Butf I pray and do my best.

‘Cause I know that I’ll miss it,

Unless I really try,

To see what God is showing,

To clearly hear, no lie.

But He said He will help me,

I’ll hear His Spirit’s voice,

Because I do belong to Him,

And He is my first choice.

“My sheep listen to My voice…” (John 10:27, NLT)

It’s so easy just to ride on by, and not see what we’re supposed to see. Or be so distracted with the noise of the world that we don’t hear what God is saying. Jesus promised, however, that all His sheep would hear His voice. He said we would recognize His voice because we belong to Him, the Shepherd, and not to some hireling who cares nothing for the sheep but only for his wage. Jesus characterized himself as the One who lays down His life for the sheep. He is the One who holds us, protects us, and leads us by His voice. If we have never heard Him, it is not because He’s not speaking…

Lord, help us see what You want us to see, and hear what You want us to hear, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bill Anton, billantonstudio.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Bill, and God bless you.