"Wildness"

There’s a wildness in the telling,

Of the cowboy tales we know,

And whether sad or funny,

Or how those old winds blow,

There’s always somethin’ risky,

Or out there on the edge,

Or dangerous or iffy,

Like high up on a ledge,

Where your pony best not stumble,

For it’s a long way down,

You hope somebody shoots you,

Before you hit the ground.

It’s just that wildness factor,

That makes it fun you see,

A ridin’ buckin’ horses,

Ropin’ cattle wild and free.

Some would say it’s reckless,

Others just their task,

Don’t think too much about it,

Unless somebody asks.

I guess there’s a lesson,

That compares a lot to faith,

What’s happening and what’s required,

The wildness factor rate.

‘Cause jumpin out and overboard,

Into an angry sea,

Is not reasonable behavior,

Nor will it ever be.

Breakin’ through the rooftop,

To lower down a friend,

Paralyzed and couldn’t walk,

But faith got him right in.

Tryin’ to kill a giant,

With just a stone and sling,

There’s a wildness to it,

It just beats everything.

Castin’ out a legion,

Of demons as they scream,

A thousand pigs a drownin’,

Not a tame religious dream.

‘Cause see if there is safety,

And all is well planned out,

And everything’s predictable,

No room for risk, no doubt.

Is faith necessary,

Or needed after all,

If one has plumb tamed down the risk,

All penned up in a stall.

I say let’s ride the river,

It’s wild, but here we go,

Faith can still move mountains,

The cowboys taught me so.

“Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, may you be lifted up and thrown into the sea, and it will happen…” (Mk. 11:22, NLT)

Faith is a powerful, life-changing force. Every achievement, accomplishment, victory and success story has a faith-factor built into it. Without exception. Why? Because for anything good to happen, someone has to see it and believe it before it actually happens. Faith prompts, motivates and energizes the activity necessary to change one’s results. This is all true, simply from a human standpoint without even considering God’s miracle-working power. Once the God-factor is introduced into our thinking, even greater things are possible. This is not because we somehow use faith as a magic wand to manipulate God to give us what we want. Rather, faith positions us to receive God’s perfect will for every situation, even if it appears impossible. When Jesus talked about mountain-moving faith He was not speaking about real estate. He was talking about faith being exercised in order to move evil, problems, challenges and anything that opposes God’s best. It’s risky business but the rewards are eternal!

Lord, teach us how to live and walk by faith, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Jason Rich, jasonrichstudios.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Jason, and God bless you.