Out Our Way: Who has the reins?

Exodus 20:3 - 'You shall have no other gods before Me'

Out our way, a well-trained cowpony hardly needs the reins, but aside from the circus, I haven't seen many riders who ride without them. Ole Doc was pretty well-trained when I got him and he attended to my leg directions, "clicking" and "kissy" sounds. But even so, I never let go of the reins ... just in case. 

There were times when he needed to back up or make a hard turn and I needed to use the reins. I never abused their use, and he never had a sore mouth. He was a big horse - 17 hands as I recall - but obeyed because he both trusted me and really wanted to please me. I never thought of him as property but more as my partner. Even so, I held the reins and we both accepted the fact I was "boss."

Other folks weren't so lucky, as I heard stories of stubborn and rebellious horses that simply never understood who was in charge. They had to be constantly retrained and disciplined. For the working hands, the cow horse is there to work with and not against you. The horse was to be your partner - not your advisory. If the horse constantly fought against the rider, the wrangler quickly got rid of it.

I was asked to preach the other day at a small church down the road in a semi-rural area. A lot of the folks there were farmers and ranchers and many had nodded their heads as I expressed how Doc and I worked together. They also nodded and scowled as I mentioned some jughead horses that fought me tooth and nail every step of the way. They understood the frustration and even anger that followed such an encounter. And then I turned it around and read the first commandment quoted above and asked, "Who holds the reins in your world?"

I pointed out how the commandments were read to the people of Israel by Moses, but that Moses had not created them. Indeed start with Exodus 20:1 and note God says very clearly that He gave them - not Moses, nor Aaron, nor the Elders of the 12 tribes. God.

In the ancient world the people believed in territorial gods, the god of the river, the god of the forest, the god of the mountain. As people switch locations, they also switched gods. If you lived in Egypt, you worshiped the gods of Egypt. If you lived in Mesopotamia/Babylon - modern day Iraq - you worshiped the gods of that land. But while the people of Israel were slaves and captives in both those places, they worshiped a single God who commanded that He alone was the One holding the reins regardless of where His people found themselves. The gods of Egypt and Babylon were supreme for the people in those lands - except for the Jews. The Lord alone held the reins for them and still does to this day, as is the case for those who continue the faith through Jesus Christ. 

Years ago, when I was back East in seminary, I saw a commercial for "Hebrew National Hot Dogs." The commercial showed a man holding one and the announcer saying what was allowed by the Federal government regarding preservatives and ingredients, etc. that Hebrew National meats did not. And then the camera panned upward as the announcer said, "At Hebrew National, we answer to a higher authority."

  I often think of that ad as my rabid "woke" friends try to dictate their version of morality and righteousness saying this is what their "new" culture now demands I accept and embrace. I smile and move on, for like Hebrew National, I answer to a higher authority. I know Who holds the reins!

Be blessed and be a blessing

Brother John

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The Rev. John Bruington is the retired pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Havre. He now lives in Colorado, but continues to write "Out Our Way." He can be reached for comment or dialogue at [email protected].