Wrong Side Saddle Scabbard

WESTERN WISDOM  "The Wrong Side Saddle Scabbard" audio podcast by award-winning western author Stephen Bly. Sponsored by BlyBooks.com Legacy Series. 
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Transcript

THE WRONG SIDE SADDLE SCABBARD
Stephen Bly
Circa 1996 

I got a fax with a sample of a book cover for one of my western novels. The artist did a great job. However, there was one glaring difficulty. He had the saddle scabbard on the wrong side of the saddle. 

Now, I know, not many readers would care what side of the saddle my hero, Tap Andres, carried his rifle. But it made a difference to me. 

What’s a Saddle Scabbard? 

A saddle scabbard is a heavy leather case that your rifle or carbine slips into. Usually you fasten them to the saddle horn. The height of the scabbard must be adjusted to come at the bend of the knee.  

Most riders carry the gun on the left side, the stock facing away from him. This arrangement allows them to have the gun available on the same side of the horse when they get off to shoot. Well, this artist had the scabbard hanging from the right side. I’m afraid Tap would get shot before he had time to run around to the other side of Brownie and retrieve his Winchester ’73.  

The Old West & the Faith Realm 

In the Old West, a man had to keep his guns handy. In the Christian realm, we’ve got a few weapons too, and it’s crucial for spiritual survival to keep them handy. According to Scripture, one of our best weapons is “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). That is our Bible. 

Do You Know Where Your Bible Is? 

Is it around the house someplace? Or is it in a box of family treasures stored out the garage? Where do you normally leave it? 

Maybe you’re like me and keep one right by the dining room table for family devotion time. Another is always on my office desk. And a third tucks in the side pocket of my Suburban. A fourth lies in the nightstand by the bed. 

If you can’t get to it, the book’s not very useful to you. But if you don’t know how to use it, that’s not much help either. 

Get In the Habit 

It’s not difficult to develop the skills needed to use your Bible. All you have to do is read it over and over and over again. Also, take to other believers about what you’re learning.  

But maybe you already knew that. The problem is, too many folks ignore the problem until they get into a jam. By then, it just might be too late.  

That goes for the Old West cowboy trying to tug a saddle gun out of the scabbard, as well as the modern disciple trying to quickly lay hold of Bible truth.