A Poem With a Challenge

This came from an article written by James Ryle, a Pastor who had a big impact on Carolyn and me when we were at the Vineyard Ranch back in 1990.

“How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?” (Proverbs 6:9).

It is possible to sleep though Life’s greatest moments; to hit the snooze button one too many times and, through no one’s fault but our own, miss out on that which was ours all along — if only we had wanted it enough to get up and go for it.

Perhaps this little poem, relatively unknown and dwarfed by it’s “brother’s” widespread fame, might be all the incentive you need to get with the program.

One night I had a wondrous dream,
one set of footprints there was seen.
The footprints of the Lord they were,
but mine were not upon the shore.

Then some stranger prints appeared,
and I asked, “What have we here?”
These prints were large and round and neat,
much too big to be my feet.

“My child,” He said in tender tone,
“For miles I carried you alone.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
but you refused a step to take.

“You would not learn, you would not grow;
the way of faith you would not know.
So, though I love you oh so dear,
I stopped and dropped you on your rear!”

You see, in Life there comes a time
when one must try, and one must climb;
when one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand!

Hey, isn’t it time you got with the program? No more slumbering around with indefinite mind, waffling here and there, yawning away the epic days in which you are placed by God. Wake up from your sleep, and shake off the slumber from your life. Your presence is needed now more than ever!”

Well that was a challenge to me anyway!

Stuart