"Roots"

Not an angel from Montgomery,

But I’m from there just the same,

From the land of honeysuckle,

Old Hank Williams calls your name.

There in sweet home Alabama,

Where my mama gave me birth,

I was raised out in the country,

By some folks the best on earth.

And I love old Lookout Mountain,

And those Gulf Shores beaches white,

And all that country in between,

That brought me such delight.

I am thankful for those woodlands,

And the cattle pastures, too,

With Roll Tide and War Eagle,

Crimson Tide, the orange and blue.

We still revere our forbears,

And what is right and wrong,

Learned compassion and equality,

A place we all belong.

And some who went to Texas,

Fought hard at the Alamo,

Came from good old Alabama,

Died in Texas, don’t  you know.

And now I live in Texas,

‘Cause it called me as a kid,

Where my Daddy shipped the cattle,

And for years that’s what he did.

While horseback just the other day,

Met an old man who once knew,

My Dad who sold the cattle,

Where he worked in sixty-two.

Just one more connection,

To my home of yesterday,

Not to mention cowboy preachers,

With whom I weekly pray.

Yes, my children and grandchildren,

And my folks I’ve laid to rest,

Are there in Alabama,

Who call me to my best.

And I’ll wager that my southern roots,

Will always serve me well,

Deep in the heart of Texas,

I’ll always live to tell,

The love of God my Savior,

For a cowboy born and bred,

To live always for Jesus,

Who rose up from the dead.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature, the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NAS)

It matters where you are born. But it matters much more that you are born again. No matter our background, that’s what we all need. And when we give our lives to Christ He makes our lives new. The things about our old lives that were selfish, sinful and sick He will help us leave behind. He will use all the different parts of who we are to glorify Him. And He will give us our true identity. Home can be a blessing, but coming home to Jesus is the biggest blessing of all.

Lord, help us receive our new identity from You, in Jesus’ name.

Art shared by a friend.