"Real Deal"

A cowboy’s life is physical,

He’s on the move, you see,

And sometimes the spiritual,

Loses its priority.

He’s workin’, ridin’, ropin’,

From can right until can’t,

Sometimes it leaves him hopin’,

When his time is scant,

That he knew more of the Good Book,

And not just bovine ways,

Embarrassed he ne’er did look,

More in his younger days.

I’ve seen ‘em get plumb wistful,

When some old hymn is sung,

He might throw in a fistful,

Of bills when the preacher’s pitch is flung.

And he might ride ten miles or more,

To give a neighbor aid,

And never think of keeping score,

When a call for help is made.

Mainly he just wants to know,

With everyone I guess,

When life ends and he must go,

Will God condemn or bless.

It ain’t about the church house,

‘Cause most Sundays he can’t go,

He’s out there on a cow chouse,

Though no excuse I know.

But when it comes to Jesus,

He’ll smile and get real still,

He’ll say he knows He frees us,

If we try to do His will.

And he has asked for mercy,

And prayed he would be saved,

There ain’t no controversy,

Out where it’s all unpaved.

Religion, he don’t have one,

But inside where it counts,

He worships Jesus, God’s Son,

And hasn’t got an ounce,

Of judgment or hypocrisy,

He’s just an humble sort,

Has no church bureaucracy,

But his courage won’t fall short.

So could be he’s closer,

Than he really thinks he is,

“Cause he sure ain’t a poser,

What you see is really his.

Pray for cowboys, pray for all,

Whose faith is true and real,

And never doubt the Lord’s own call,

Is something they can feel.

“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” (1 John 5:12, NAS)

We tend to make salvation more complicated than the clear teaching of scripture. Being a child of God depends solely on putting our faith in Jesus Christ. It’s not Jesus plus baptism or church or even good works that saves. It’s only Jesus. The changed life flows from that relationship, but none of us is qualified to be the judge. Some who love the Lord need to clean up their act and show their faith more clearly. There can be no doubt about that. And some people flat out just need to be saved. But we must be cautious about our appraisal of such things. Love everyone. Pray for everybody. Point them to Jesus and put them in God’s hands.

Lord, help us point people to You, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Bill Owen, cowhorsegallery.com. Used by permission. Thanks and God bless.