The Brand That Takes You In
By Rev. Joseph Holmes — H C Cowboy Ministries
Hebrews 13:2
Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
Good morning, friends.
Before we saddle up and get into the story the Lord laid on my heart today, I want to take a minute to say a heartfelt thank you. I felt every single one of those prayers you lifted up for my stress test. The doctor gave me a good report yesterday, and I’m grateful—grateful for God’s steady hand, and grateful for this little online cowboy church family. We might be spread out across the country, but when one of us is in a tight spot, we circle the wagons.
Your prayers reminded me that God usually works through people. Sometimes it’s a prayer, sometimes it’s a neighbor, and sometimes it’s a conversation that looks ordinary on the outside but has the fingerprints of Heaven all over it.
That brings me to the story I need to tell you. It’s about a divine appointment that looked a lot like just another dusty morning.
There was an old cowboy sitting on the wooden steps of the feed store, looking like a man who had reached the end of his rope. His boots were scuffed down to nothing, his hat was pulled low to hide his eyes, and his spirit was dragging in the dirt. The town folks had seen him drift in and out—never staying long, never putting down roots. He carried the kind of heavy silence you see in men who have ridden a lot of miles but never found a home. Truth is, a man can be surrounded by people and still be the loneliest soul in the county. He wasn't waiting for a ride. He wasn't waiting for a friend. He was just trying to keep from falling apart right there on the sidewalk.
The sun was just burning off the morning dew when a truck and trailer pulled up—an old rancher from out west coming in for supplies. Now, this rancher was the real deal. He wasn’t flashy, and he didn’t make a lot of noise. He was just steady. He moved with the kind of peace that comes from weathering storms and trusting the Good Shepherd.
When he stepped out and walked toward the door, he spotted that cowboy slumped over on the steps. Most folks would have walked right past, minding their own business. But this rancher operated on different orders—he remembered Hebrews 13:2, about showing hospitality to strangers because you might just be entertaining an angel.
He stopped. He didn’t stand over him looking down; he eased himself down onto the step right next to him. He leaned back, tipped his hat, and just let the silence sit for a minute so the man wouldn’t feel crowded.
“Morning, partner,” the rancher said, soft and easy. “You look like you’re packing a load heavier than a man is built to carry.”
The cowboy didn’t even look up. He just shrugged one shoulder. “Doesn’t matter much. I ain’t no count for nothing anyway.”
The rancher didn’t argue with him. He didn’t try to give him a pep talk. He just asked a simple question. “Tell me something… do you know Jesus?”
The cowboy kicked at a loose board with his boot heel. “I know of the Man. That’s about it.”
The rancher nodded like he understood. “Well, knowing of Him and knowing Him are two different trails. See, Jesus isn’t looking for men who have it all figured out. He isn’t looking for the ones with polished boots and perfect records. He’s looking for the ones who feel exactly like you do right now—worn out, overlooked, and feeling like they aren’t worth a plug nickel.”
The cowboy finally looked up, squinting to see if the old man was making fun of him. But all he saw was kindness.
“I run a spread out west,” the rancher went on. “Good land. Good cattle. But the best thing about it is the Owner. I ride for His Brand. And let me tell you, His Brand isn’t about where you’ve been or what you’ve done wrong. It’s about who you belong to. And He says you’re worth dying for.”
The cowboy’s voice cracked, barely a whisper. “You reckon He’d take on a hand like me?”
The rancher smiled, and it was a smile full of certainty. “Son, He came looking specifically for men like you.”
Right there on those feed store steps, something broke loose in that cowboy’s chest. It wasn’t a breaking that hurts; it was the kind that heals. It was like a horse finally quitting the fight against the halter and realizing the Master is good.
“I reckon,” he said, wiping a tear with his sleeve, “I’d like to ride for that Brand.”
The rancher stood up and offered a hand to pull him up. “Then let’s get you saddled up. Jesus doesn’t waste a single cowboy willing to ride with Him.”
As they walked toward the truck, that cowboy walked a little taller. For the first time in years, he wasn’t just drifting. He had a place. He had a purpose. He had a Brand.
Friend, I don’t know where you’re sitting this morning. Maybe you feel like that cowboy—tired, dusty, and unsure if you matter to anyone. Maybe life has bucked you off one too many times.
I want you to hear this in your spirit: Jesus doesn’t choose you because you’re perfect. He chooses you because He loves you. He isn’t checking your resume; He’s checking your heart. He is offering you a place at His table and a spot on His crew. You don’t have to clean yourself up before you come to Him. You just have to say “Yes.”
If you’re tired of the drift… if you’re ready to ride for a Brand that will never fade… then today is the day. Just tell Him, “Lord, I’m ready. I want to ride for You.”
Let’s Pray
Lord Jesus,
Thank You for meeting us right where we are—whether we’re in a pew, in a truck, or sitting on a curb feeling lost. Thank You for seeing the worth in us even when we can’t see it in ourselves.
Lord, today we choose to ride for Your Brand. We ask You to take the reins. Lead us, guide us, and remind us that we belong to You.
I ask a special blessing over every person reading this. Give strength to the hands that are hanging down and hope to the hearts that are weary. Thank You for this church family and for hearing our prayers.
In Jesus’ mighty name,
Amen.
And I’ll leave you with this: A cowboy isn’t measured by the miles he’s ridden, but by the Master he rides for.
Amen !