"Out There"

Out there, so far out there,

How far, did you say?

So far you can’t get there,

If you long-trot all day.

This place you’re describing,

Why you think it’s all that,

It’s not ‘cause it’s distant,

More than where it’s at.

Well, no, not just location,

But what I felt there,

The thing stood my hair up,

And gave me soul-scare.

Oh, now you’re talkin’ spooky,

Like you’re scared and such,

If you aren’t good and careful,

We’ll think lost your touch.

Well, think of me whatever,

I know just where and when,

‘Cause in that distant canyon,

Christ saved. me from my sin.

Me and Charlie chasin’ cattle,

And thought them ahead,

When old Dan took a tumble,

Rolled down the hill instead.

I thought I was broken,

Turned out to be bruised,

But Dan was a-hobblin’,

And too sore to use.

And just the old Charlie,

And me saw a bear,

It was disgruntled,

Came out of nowhere.

Turns out a mama,

And there were her cubs,

We landed between ‘em,

And that was the rub.

Charlie’s horse went to pitchin’,

And then there’s just me,

I’m thinkin’ well maybe,

She’ll just leave me be.

I goes down on all fours,

And curled in a ball,

She sniffs me a little,

And off she goes, y’all.

But now I’m down prayin’,

And givin’ my praise,

And askin’ forgiveness,

And since then always.

So far, yes far out there,

But not just the grid,

Far from the Good Lord,

When He did what He did.

Saved from disaster,

When Dan took his fall,

And saved from a she-bear,

An attack to forestall.

And saved from my sins,

On that day in that place,

Washed by the Savior,

So I’ll see His face.

“God saved you by His grace when you believed…” (Eph. 2:8, NLT)

God is in the saving business. You might not have as dramatic a testimony as this one in the poem. In fact, you might not be able to say the exact time or place the Lord saved you. No matter. What matters is that you know that it’s happened. And we can know, and not just hope so. How? As long as it depends upon us, we will never be sure. But when we surrender our lives in faith to Jesus Christ, He promises to make us sure. He helps us to know by the power of His Spirit. Of all the things we can and should know, this is by far the most important. How did God make you sure you are saved?

Lord, make us sure, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Tim Cox, timcox.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Tim, and God bless you.