Daily Devotion Chat

The Strength of the Herd 

Written by Cowboy Evangelist Rev. Joseph Holmes

Produced by H C Cowboy Ministries

Scripture Focus: Galatians 6:2 (KJV) — "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

 Good morning everyone. God bless you all on this beautiful morning as we give thanks to the Lord for another day. I want to start by thanking every single one of you for your prayers yesterday. By the grace of the Great Physician, my surgery went wonderfully, and I am rested and recovering at home but work at the ranch never stops so today I am back at it nobody said cowboying was easy just like being a Christian is not easy this is something we must remind ourselves everyday.

While I was resting yesterday, it got me thinking about how things work out in the pasture. Out in the wild, or even out in the big pastures of a working ranch, horses are herd animals. Their very survival depends entirely on the group. If one horse goes down, gets injured, is sick, or sleeping, you will never see all the horses laying down at the same time either cause the rest of the herd does not just leave him or her behind in the dust. They will circle up, stand watch and when mares have foal most of the time they will put their babies in the middle of a circle, and protect that vulnerable horse or the foals from predators until he is strong enough to stand back up on his own four feet or the babies are big enough. So that means a horse that is isolated and separated from the herd is in serious, life-threatening danger.

The church is supposed to operate the exact same way. Yesterday morning, I was the one who was down. I was vulnerable in that operating room. But because I am part of a faithful flock, I had a whole herd of believers standing watch over me in prayer, protecting me and lifting me up to the Lord when I could not do it myself.

This is exactly why it is so incredibly dangerous for Christians to try and ride out their faith all alone. The devil operates like a predator, and he loves to find an isolated believer. When you hit a hard season, get sick, or stumble under a heavy weight, you need a strong, faithful herd to stand watch and pray over you. We are not designed to survive on our own; we are designed to bear one another's burdens.

Now I know that there is someone out there this morning who has been trying to ride the trail of life completely alone. Maybe you got hurt by a church in the past, or maybe you think your life is too messy to fit into the herd, so you have isolated yourself. I invite you today to stop trying to survive on your own. Give your heart to Jesus Christ today, and let Him bring you into the safety of His faithful herd. Come join the family of God, where we carry each other's burdens and nobody is left behind in the dirt. Again Family thank you so much for standing by me during this time.

Let’s Pray,

 Father, we thank You for the incredible blessing of the church family. Lord, I personally thank You for the successful surgery and for the prayers of this beautiful flock that carried me through it. I ask You to look down on anyone who is feeling isolated, alone, or vulnerable today. Guide them into a loving herd where they can be supported and protected. Help us all to be the kind of brothers and sisters who stand watch over each other when the storms of life hit. And Lord please help us not to forget those who may not know you yet and Lord help us to show your Love to them that they may see you in us. In Jesus' name, Amen.

This morning I want you to ask yourself this one question. Are you trying to ride through life all by yourself, or are you safely grounded in a herd of believers who will stand watch over you when you fall?

Remember brothers and sisters this one thing through out your life. "A lone horse is easy prey for the wolves. Stay close to the herd, and let your brothers and sisters help you stand."