"No Bull"

I wandered off the caprock,

A-lookin’ for a bull,

No one saw him for two weeks,

So cow boss said to pull,

My saddle where it’s hanging,

Go catch your toughest mount,

You know how rough that country,

See cattle, get a count.

But mainly find that bovine,

And make sure he’s all right,

You know the one you’re after,

The one that’s bad to fight.

And take you some provisions,

Might take more than one day,

There’s water and a catch pen,

Where you’ll need to stay.

So I’m off high and lonely,

While everyone’s in town,

It’s hell to be a cowboy,

With no one else around.

I’d have a better story,

If that bull had broke my rope,

Of if I bucked off and set afoot,

Horse left me at a lope.

But none of those things happened,

The old bull came right in,

I guess he needed water,

I found him in the pen.

Eased around and closed him in,

And that’s when I got a look,

He had a thorn or somethin’ else,

All stuck up in one foot.

I just sat and watched him,

And he was watching me,

And from outside the fences,

I pitched a loop you see.

It settled smooth around his horns,

Old Roany turned to pull,

And he did not stop pulling,

Till he snubbed up that bull.

Then just the matter,

Of getting all the slack,

And making sure old bully,

Is tied and cannot back.

Decided that’s enough work,

We’ll let him wear on down,

And first thing in the morning,

We’ll see what we have found.

And early the next morning,

With a hot cup in my hand,

I surveyed the damage,

But went on with my plan.

He fought me and he bellered,

But then we caught a foot,

And laid old bully over,

So he would just stay put.

And there was what had festered,

And soon we got it out,

A long, old thorn of some kind,

And he was glad no doubt.

I doctored him and gave a shot,

And pushed him closer in,

And last time I saw him,

He was with cows again.

Just a little story,

‘Bout doctoring bovine,

But one that I remember,

And the lesson that I find,

Is when you need some healing,

Don’t go and stay away,

And when He comes to help you,

Don’t fight or you just may,

Miss the One who’ll heal you,

Jesus is His name,

He is the Great Physician,

And pulls thorns just the same.

“He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds…” (Psalm 147:3, NLT)

God is the great Healer. But sometimes when we are wounded we withdraw and isolate ourselves. Maybe we are tired of talking about what bothers us. Maybe we are ashamed of something we have done. But being hurt and alone is not a good place to be. Sometimes we even fight against the Lord when He comes to heal us, simply because it can be uncomfortable bringing things into the light. And let’s face it, it’s hard for some of us to accept that we need help. But that’s pride talking, and should never allow us to run from or balk when the Lord comes to heal us. I promise you, after you have experienced His healing, you will wonder why you waited as long as you did. And- good news- there is absolutely nothing He cannot relieve. Believe it!

Lord, heal our broken hearts and bandage our wounds with Your grace, in Jesus’ name.

Photo by Amanda Mandy Smith, amandasmithwesternart.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Amanda, and God bless you.