"Old Mare"

Poor old mare with gimpy feet,

She needs a place to rest,

Can’t ride the poor old thing no more,

Though she has done her best.

Seen pastureland and town parade,

Been in the rodeo,

Gave the little kids a ride,

Always quiet you know.

But lately she just moves real slow,

Vet says won’t get better,

I just keep her close on feed,

What she wants, I let her.

‘Cause horses like this good old mare,

Don’t come along enough,

And now that’s she’s put in her time,

And the ground beneath too rough,

I just want to let her be,

‘Cause she has made her run,

Take good care and treat her right,

Now that her work is done.

I will admit that old mare,

Reminds me much of me,

Though I’m not quite broken down,

And finished, don’t you see.

But when we do get older,

Get to a certain age,

Sometimes it’s best to let things go,

And finally turn the page.

And, yes, I still can get it done,

My mission’s not through yet,

I still have the energy,

The Lord wants me to get.

But it is just so good to know,

My life is in God’s hands,

He knew me way before my birth,

And according to His plans,

All the days He meant for me,

Are right there in His book,

And I don’t have to know much more,

And wouldn’t care to look.

‘Cause everything I know so far,

Is His mercy and His love,

And when it is all over,

I’ll go to Him above.

“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psalm 139:16, NAS)

Life is not as random as we may think. The psalmist understood that God knew him before he was born, and that the days of his life were in the Lord’s hands. This should serve as a great relief to us. We are often surprised by what happens, but God is not. Somehow the Lord has built free will and choice into the equation too, but that takes nothing away from the fact that He rules over our days. Thank You, Lord.

Lord, help us to rest in Your care, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Jack Sorenson, used by permission. Thanks, Jack, and God bless you.