"Ready"
I’m a-gonna be a cowboy,
Until my dyin’ day,
That’s what I heard him whisper,
These words I heard him say.
As the doctor gave the verdict,
Said he’s far too sick to ride,
And that his days were numbered,
His daughter bowed her head and cried.
But then he sorta raised up,
Off that hospital bed,
He winked at me just standin’ there,
And then he quietly said,
Go there and get my pickup truck,
I’m checking myself out,
This doc may be a good ‘un,
But I’m gone from here, no doubt.
So I went and got the Chevy,
Parked way out on the lot,
By the time I got back to him,
He’d gathered what he brought.
From hat to spurs was ready,
To make his big escape,
Lord knows I couldn’t argue,
We left with no red tape.
Drove all night till early morning,
When we pulled into the place,
He said I’ll catch the horses,
You boil coffee for our race.
And soon we’re off and horseback,
With our biscuits in our hands,
And as the sun was rising,
He shared with me his plans.
I aim to make a gather,
In that high pasture there,
The cattle will be scattered,
But I’ve discovered where,
Most of them are usin’,
And with a little luck,
We’ll go get ‘em this time,
So let’s go, let ‘er buck!
We sure ‘nuff found the cattle,
And brought ‘em off the mount,
And when we got ‘em lined out,
We took a little count.
And there were fifty pairs or more,
By my count fifty-two,
And as we pushed ‘em right along,
I asked now what to do.
He said let’s keep on a-goin’,
Go get another bunch,
And each day a new circle,
I began to have a hunch,
That maybe that young doctor,
Had diagnosed all wrong,
Or we might have had a miracle,
As he went on so strong.
He lived to see his grandkids,
Graduate from school,
And well into his nineties,
He’s tough as any mule.
Ten years passed by quickly,
One night I got a call,
It was my good friend’s daughter,
To say he’d had a fall.
I drove right on over,
She took me to his bed,
He shook my hand, we prayed a bit,
And then these words he said,
I’m a-gonna be a cowboy,
Until my dyin’ day,
Looks like the Lord is calling,
And then he went away.
God knows our days are numbered,
He knows when we are through,
And He will have the final say,
When we go home, it’s true.
“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was laid out before a single day had passed…” (Psalm 139:16, NLT)
The Psalmist believed that his life was really in God’s hands. From conception until the end, the Lord had every single day laid out. But how could this be if we have decision-making power over what direction our lives go? It is true, but no one can fully explain it. Both things are true. We have choices about our days and God is in control of our days, and all at the same time. We cannot fully comprehend how this all interplays, but there is a measure of freedom in how God has set it up. But He does this without surrendering His sovereignty over our lives. The truth of it is meant to be wonderful and comforting and assuring and to give us peace. Our days are in His hands. What a relief. Let it be.
Lord, we surrender to Your plan for our lives, in Jesus’ name.
Photo by Kirstie Lambert, used by permission. Thanks, Kirstie, and God bless you.