Ever think about cowboys? The story of one rodeo cowboy who got saved at a church in billings, whose pastor I know, recently came to my mind again. And, it made me think about how we all need that relationship with Christ.
See, God made us to have relationships. Yes, some with autistic spectrum conditions have more trouble with relationships – however, I have a few aspie friends. These friends tell me they’re glad to have a relationship with God because He’s perfect and always consistent, and understands them all the time, whereas the problem they have, from what they say, is that humans are so imperfect and inconsistent.
Even before the Fall, God said “it is not good for man to be alone.” Often we need a more physical reminder of that: Children and even some adults need a stuffed animal or other comfort object; people need friends; and so on. But, our true Friend is the one in the Spiritual realm, the Creator of the Universe.
He’s not an equal, but humbles Himself to hear those who have trusted in His Son to forgive them. He is the kind that sticks closer than a brother. The kind who will always answer our prayers in the way He knows is best for us.
Those human relationships, though, are fraught with misunderstandings and problems at times, and people can let us down; they can even die, leaving an empty spot in our hearts that only Jesus can fill.
And, then there are the cowboys and others who spend much time alone. It’s nice to be independent, but we all mess up on our own, too. And, to be alone with one’s thoughts in the wide open plains has to seem so…well, lonely. They like to feel independent, like they can do it all themselves, but those songs about cowboys always seem a tad depressing to me.
They’re sort of like the shepherds who got the first word of Christ’s birth. Shepherds, like more recent cowboys, had very lonely jobs; all they did was watch sheep all day. It’s no wonder the angels appeared to them; they had the faith that the Lord was out there for them. They had that relationship we all need; the Lord was there for them, even in their most lonely, trying times.
It’s a relationship anyone can have, simply by putting their trust in Him to forgive them. It’s a relationship we all need, whether we’ve got lots of friends or not. Because, a relationship with Him not only gets us to Heaven, but through Him we can have life and have it more abundantly, right here on Earth. Because, He’s just waiting to share all our burdens, give us hope in time of need, be the God of all comfort, give us that peace that passeth understanding, and so on.
