Still in the Drawin’ Business

Well, tie me to a tater sack and call me surprised, friend, if it ain't you ambling up the walk to this ol' front porch! The fiddle's tunin' up on the radio, the skillet cornbread's got a golden crust, and there's a rocker rockin' itself just waitin' on you. Take a load off, because I've got a lil’ something to stir your hope.

Ever felt like givin' up on somebody who seems farther from God than an ol’ catfish is from a cornfield? I've learned somethin' over the years. Salvation is a God thing. We can't drag a soul to the Lord any more than we can make a turtle hurry across the road. Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44). We carry the truth, and He does the drawin'.

And here's what I want you to hear, friend. As long as they're breathin', their story ain't over.

That hard-hearted cousin who's got a heart tougher than a barn cat's tongue? Not over. That friend who wandered off from the faith like an ol’ goat through a loose gate? Not over. That coworker who rolls their eyes whenever you mention Jesus? Their story ain't over either.

Jeremiah heard the Lord say, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness" (Jeremiah 31:3). Notice that it's lovingkindness doin' the drawin', not arguin' and not pushin'. God may use you for years in your child's life, or just for a few minutes with a stranger the Lord sets down in your path like a lil’ ol’ feather landin' on a fencepost. Either way, your job is to be ready, share the Scriptures, and give Him time.

Don't you quit now. Paul wrote, "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). Keep prayin', keep lovin', and keep your lantern trimmed. The same God who drew you is still in the drawin' business, and He ain't finished with the folks you're prayin' for.

Father, thank You for drawing me when I wasn't lookin'. Give me a patient heart for those I love who are far from You. Keep me praying, keep me ready, and keep me hopeful, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Now, friend, go on and let the evenin' breeze carry you home like a lil’ ol’ dandelion puff on a summer wind. Leave a little light burnin' in your window for every wanderer you love because the Shepherd's still on the road bringin' 'em in. And whenever your hope runs low as a dry creek bed, come on back, and we'll fill your glass and your heart again.

With joy,

Gwen