"Roper?"

People ask are you a roper?

I guess it’s hard to say,

‘Cause so many that I threw at,

I missed, got clean away.

I’ve missed ‘em at the ropin’,

I’ve missed ‘em back at home,

I’ve missed ‘em when they got out,

Of our pastures, tried to roam.

I’ve missed when others caught ‘em,

Sometimes when others, too,

Couldn’t catch a single head,

No matter how they threw.

So have I roped some cattle?

Well, yes, and sure enough,

But never won a buckle,

Those boys were just too tough.

I’ve caught and doctored yearlings,

I’ve roped wild ones in the brush,

I’ve dragged calves to the fire,

Worked slow without a rush.

Roped horses in the round pen,

And bulls when they got out,

Dragged ‘em onto trailers,

With lots of help, no doubt.

My rope hangs on my saddle,

It used to be tied on,

Now I mostly dally,

But as my tooth gets long,

Might go back, they say I can,

To tied on hard and fast,

Maybe still can twine a few,

If my old health can last.

It’s like, are you a Christian?

And I know I’m born again,

But, buddy, let me tell you,

I’ve done my share of sin.

And had so many misses,

A judge might say no way,

But by the blood of Jesus,

In my heart I’m okay.

So guess I’ll say the reason,

I write this verse to you,

Is so you’ll keep on swingin’,

And not let times the worst,

Make you doubt what’s happened,

No matter what men say,

Jesus is the Savior,

And on the Judgment Day,

It won’t be if you’ve earned it,

Or wear the buckle gold,

No, it’s by grace and grace alone,

The Good News must be told.

We all have our misses,

But if our hearts are right,

He gives us salvation,

We’re righteous in His sight.

“So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God…” (Romans 5:11, NLT)

Being friends with God comes only one way, and that is through Jesus Christ. His death and resurrection makes it possible for us to be forgiven of every sin and made eternally right with our Creator. We receive this gift by faith, and it can neither be earned nor deserved. It is given, and is based completely on faith, not works. When we have received this grace, we are motivated and empowered to obey the Lord in whatever He leads us to do. But we do these things, not to earn salvation, but to express it. We fall short, but we keep on, because we love Him and He offers to live through us by His Spirit. It’s all accomplished, from start to finish, by His grace.

Lord, help us to receive and live out Your grace, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Don Dane, dondane.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.