That bull was moving!
It happened about the time everyone was headed back from lunch. The bull, lighting out for the territory ahead, was giving it his all. As he sprinted down a very busy street, he was pursued by a man in a red pickup truck, lasso and whip at the ready.
Four police cars completed that fast-moving parade.
It was a sight.
Drivers pulled to the side as the bull and his entourage headed toward the traffic circle. Folks finishing their burgers and fries at Health Camp were entranced.
Soon, two "animal control cowboys" rode up. Their job was to corner the fella and wrangle him into a trailer. They made it look easy. His flirt with freedom at an end, the bull was returned to his owner, only a little worse for the wear. But it gave us all something to talk about for a long time after.
Later, when it was written up in our local newspaper, a police sergeant was quoted as saying, “The good thing about living in Texas is that it’s not too long after you call a cowboy that you get one coming to you.”
There are no cowboys in this week's Exodus and Psalms passages. But the lesson still applies. At this point in the story, the children of Israel tested God. They had experienced the wonder and power of God again and again—and again: the plagues on Egypt, the miracle of the Passover, the pillar of cloud and the pillar of flame, the dry crossing at the Red Sea, the destruction of the Egyptian army, undrinkable water cured, free meat every evening to feast on, and the miracle of manna every morning.
And yet, after all of that, when they grew thirsty, they insulted God by complaining. They acted as if they had never witnessed a single miracle. They had seen God’s power—lived it—but acted as if none of it had ever occurred.
The police in my community called on animal control cowboys when faced with the need to round up an errant bull. They made that call because they knew those cowboys were available and ready to accept the challenge. There was every confidence that a cowboy would soon be coming to do what needed to be done.
We live in "Cowboy Country."
We know they exist, that they’re capable, and that we can depend on them. We’ve seen their abilities and have no concern about them handling such challenges. Our experience with cowboys has led to our faith in them to address our cowboy needs.
The Israelites lived in "God Country"—had been living there for some time. Yet, when the need arose, they did not believe they could trust God for their need. But, all things considered, we should extend a little grace to these folks. After all, they had recently come out of generations of enslavement. Trust can be a difficult thing under such circumstances. We might feel our circumstance is different. But is it? Some of us have trust issues, even with God. Maybe especially with God. So, what do we do?
Consider imitating our local bull chasers. Trust that when you need God's help, God already knows and has an answer on the way.
You’ve got a cowboy coming to you.
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PHOTO: Adobe Express filtered through Photoshop Express
TV news coverage of the bull run:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=53lr2uC6CW0&pp=ygUdS2VyYSBPZmZpY2VycyB3aXRoIGxhc3NvIGJ1bGw%3D
Print news story about that bull-on-the-run:
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We're rounding everyone up Friday morning for a good feed, some scripture grazing, and a bit of laughter. Join us at 8:00 for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. We meet on Zoom * and in person at Our Breakfast Place.
No bull.
Blessings,
Steve
*Zoom link (Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89947678414
SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Find them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=l&d=27
Print them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Ax_ThirdSundayinLent.pdf
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42
Third Sunday in Lent (March 8, 2026)
