Pillow Talk

Some of the most intimate conversations we have with our spouses occur while we lay in bed, in a darkened room, quiet, and nestled in the warmth of the covers.  The children are asleep, the phone is done ringing for the day, the television is quieted, and the house is at peace. 

Intimacy in today's world is immediately equated with sex.  However, true intimacy can more easily be related to communion and communication with unguarded truthfulness.  More simply put, pillow talk!

The Father wants intimate moments with us, times of communion and communication with unguarded truthfulness.  He wants to hear from us our most private thoughts, our concerns, our joys, our fears, our victories, our praise, our disappointments, and our loving words of intimate worship.  Yet, we so thoughtlessly neglect this awesome privilege as we get caught up in our daily lives.

When was the last time you enjoyed "pillow talk" with the Father?  When was the last time you snuggled up close to him, nestled in the warmth of His presence, and shared the most private thoughts and intents of your heart?  Don't you think it's time for a good, intimate conversation with Him?

"I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me." (Song of Solomon 7:10) Yes, His desire is toward you!  Make time for your "pillow talk" now!  Don't wait till you're too tired to talk, don't wait till you're too tired to listen.  Intimacy with the Father is not an option, it's a privilege we dare not take for granted!

Father, I'm ready to spend some "intimate" time with you. But first, Lord, please forgive me for not desiring You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength.  You ARE my First Love, You ARE the Lover of my Soul, You ARE the One I long for, You ARE all I need!  Father, put a hunger deep in my soul for intimacy with You; help me never to neglect our time together. Help me to realize just how much Your desire is toward me!  Father, I commit myself to You once more; I'm ready for "pillow talk" with You!  Amen!

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Precious Keys

Humility. Repentance. Restoration. The three keys to a clean heart and a right spirit. They, in turn, open the door to the joys of salvation.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."  (Psalm 51:10-12) The Psalmist understood what it meant to be drained of his joy.

Most Christians don't have to battle daily with temptation to commit pre-meditated "major" sins. But, the everyday "little sins" of omission can literally drain every ounce of joy right out of us before we know what has happened!

Take the time to examine your life when you feel drained of your joy; ask the Lord to reveal any sins of omission or commission which need to be dealt with. Then, apply these three keys:

Humility because one has to be humble before one can truly repent!

Repentance because without repentance there can be no restoration!

Restoration because the Psalmist gave us the perfect example: "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation . . ." When there is a lapse in our communion with the Lord due to sin, these steps need to be taken which lead to restoration of that broken relationship.

Make a habit of using these most precious keys! They have been given to you; they were bought for an unfathomable price and given to us to keep us pure and clean before a Holy God!

Father, I humble myself before You with a broken heart; I fall so short of Your glory in every area of my life. Lord, restore me through the cleansing Blood of Jesus, and grant once again unto me the joy of Your salvation. I thank you for Your promise and for Your provision! You have been so wonderful to me! In the precious name of Jesus. Amen!

"Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy." (Psalm 132:9)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Young Man and an Old Preacher

Not long ago I heard a story about a young man and an old preacher. The young man had lost his job and didn't know which way to turn. So he went to see the old preacher.

Pacing about the preacher's study, the young man ranted about his problem. Finally he clenched his fist and shouted, "I've begged God to say something to help me. Tell me, Preacher, why doesn't God answer?"

The old preacher, who sat across the room, spoke something in reply--something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked.

The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair. "Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "so we will move closer to hear Him." 

This time the young man heard and he understood. We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problems. But God's is the still, small voice. . .the gentle whisper.

Perhaps there's a reason. Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper. God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my answer. Better still, I find myself closer to God.

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."  (Psalm 46:10)

Father, help me to be still and listen intently by moving in closer to You! Lord, my relationship with You is more important to me than anything . . . help me to stay at Your feet, learning of You, listening to You, worshipping You. Remind me, Lord, that there is no place I'd rather be than at Your feet, in Your presence, snuggled in close to You for it is in that place of intimacy that I'll hear Your still, small voice guiding me and directing me in the path You have prepared for me! Father, I love You . . . forever!  Amen!

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Worship Him!

There are some times when our hearts just cry out, "Worship Him"! Today is one of those days! You don't feel like worshipping Him? Well take a minute and consider: MERCY, FORGIVENESS, SALVATION, ETERNAL LIFE, FAITHFULNESS, etc. Now, do you feel a little more like worshipping Him? Good!

"Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all." (1 Chronicles 29:11)

Here's a picture of God's greatness . . . unspeakable, unfathomable, unmatched! He is more than we could ever expect Him to be. He is greater than great, higher than high, holier than holy, mightier than mighty! He is sovereign over all, totally in control of everything. Nothing is too small for His care; nothing too big for Him to handle!

Are you facing some particularly big difficulties right now? Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, lift up your eyes to God, and worship Him with all that is within you. Before long, the size of your problem will be nothing compared to the greatness of the Most High God!

Father, there is none like You in all the earth. You are mighty, You are holy! You are wonderful, You are glorious! You alone are God; there are no other gods! I ascribe greatness to Your name, O Lord! All power and glory; all honor and praise are Yours . . . for You are the author of life itself and nothing can compare to You! Father, I worship You with all that is within me! Be exalted, O God, in the heavens, on the earth, and in my life! I love You! Amen!

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness." (Psalm 48:1)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

The Donkey and the Ox

I was reading in Isaiah and was suddenly driven to look at some commentaries on a scripture and what I learned wasn't easy to swallow. See if the Spirit of God doesn't bring conviction to you as He did to me.

"The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand." (Isaiah 1:3)

As I was reading this verse, I burst into tears. "Am I less than an ox, Lord, when I fail to recognize You as my Master or lower than a donkey when I reject your Word as my life-sustainer? Lord, help me – Lord, forgive me!"

Let me paraphrase some of it for you.

The comparison in this verse is to show the gross ingratitude of God's people. The ox, a well-known domestic animal, is remarkable for patient willingness to work—it's also known for submission to its owner. This is how the "ox knows his master" … it is not the brightest animal in God's creation, but it's smart enough to be submissive to its owner. Isaiah compared the ox to Israel—even the ox knows to obey. Israel does not know how to submit.

As "dumb" as a donkey is (KJV translates it as "ass"), it knows where to find food, where to grow fat. The donkey, as dumb as it is, has sufficient knowledge to understand that his provision comes from his master, that his master also offers protection and comfort. The donkey knows enough not to wander away.

Isaac Watts wrote:

The brutes obey their God,
And bow their necks to men;
But we more base, more brutish things,
Reject His easy reign.

Read today's verse again … "The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand."

How long will we continue to be rebellious against our "Owner", unwilling to work, resisting change, refusing His nourishment, etc? How long will we continue to struggle with obedience? We say we love the Lord and yet we forget that to know Him is to love Him; to love Him is to obey Him. How can we claim to know our Master if we cannot obey His Word? Obedience is the key to knowing God, to living in the flow of His blessings, and to fulfilling our destiny.

Let's learn our lesson from the donkey and the ox. Let's submit to our Master, follow His lead, and no longer resist His instruction which leads to provision, protection, and comfort. Amen!

Lord, I choose to learn from the ox and the donkey. I choose to recognize You as my Master and to accept Your Word as my life-sustainer. Lord, feed me at Your table and nourish me through Your Word. Your Word tells me that You have already provided everything that pertains to life and Godliness … help me to run to Your Word to find what I need. Help me to remember this verse, Lord, every time I choose to rebel against Your Word. Transform me, Lord, change my heart, O God, and renew me through Your Word. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen and amen!

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (2 Peter 1:3-4)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Reflect the Light

The thing we desire the most—to please our Heavenly Father, to live a life which stands out as being contrary to the ways of the world. Just as the moon has no light in and of itself, we cannot truly "shine" without reflecting the glory of the Lord in all we say and do. We have no ability to shine on our own; we only reflect the light of the Sun!

"Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."  (John 9:3)

The blind man was not responsible for his situation because of any sin in his life. His parents were not held accountable, nor his grandparents, etc. He was blind so the Father could be glorified in his life.

Ask yourself a question: Why am I the way I am? The answer is simple: So the Lord might be glorified through our lives. God, the Creator, in His omniscience, knew exactly what you needed to be in order to complete His plans for all of creation!

The next time you look in the mirror, be sure to understand that God made you to be who you are. Praise Him because you are "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the likeness of His image so He might be glorified in you.

Father, my desire is that You would be glorified in my life, that I would become content in who You made me so I could fulfill Your purposes in my life. Lord, help me to appreciate my uniqueness and to use every one of my shortcomings to bring glory to You in some way. Thank you, Lord, for making me special, after Your image, for Your glory! Amen!

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." (John 15:4)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

Passion For the Unborn

Please forgive me for my obvious passion for the unborn . . . but with tomorrow (January 22) being the anniversary for the landmark court decision popularly known as Roe v. Wade, I can't think of a better time to explore the value of mankind in the eyes of a Holy and Righteous God.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27)

God created man in His own image. God values human life so much that He made us as the image of Himself. What does that mean? Go look in the mirror. What do you see? You see the image of who you are. You see the image of your person reflecting back at you. This is what God did when He created man—He made man as a reflection of Himself. Before the fall, before sin entered the world, man was the express image of God reflecting Himself. Man was perfect, sinless, and he walked daily with the Lord in the garden. There was nothing separating God from man. Go look in the mirror again – there is nothing separating you from your image. What you see is the exact image of who you are; this is the value God placed on man!

Abortion, the procedure that kills untold millions of unborn children each year, destroys the image of God! Let me say that again . . . abortion destroys the image of God! Abortion says, "The image of God is meaningless to me!" Abortion says, "The image of God is a problem that must be dealt with!" Abortion says, "The image of God is inconvenient and I have no room in my life for the image of God!"

In this country we have an ongoing battle on behalf of the unborn versus those who consider the unborn nothing but a "product of conception". In other countries, things are so much worse! For instance, in Romania 7 out of 8 babies are killed before they are born! In China, a family is allowed only one child and abortion is all too common! A medical missionary to China states that it's not uncommon to find women who have had upwards of 30 abortions because it's being used as birth control.

Genesis 4:10 give us a clue as to a voice from the earth crying out to God: "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." Cain slew Able and the voice of innocent blood cried out to God! Can you imagine the deafening roar of the blood of the innocents as it cries out from the earth to the Creator? It's a horrible sound that reaches the Throneroom of a Righteous and Just God!

Take some time to day. Write your legislators, call your pregnancy center and volunteer, make a plan to somehow make a difference! Get your family involved; teach your children the value of human life. Minister God's love and forgiveness to those who bear the scars of abortion. We can't just sit by and allow this atrocity to continue without stirring up some passion in us to be part of the solution to this worldwide problem! Pray and ask what you can do and then do it!

Father, forgive me! Forgive me for not doing my share to make a difference. Forgive me for not reaching out to those who are struggling with a choice they feel compelled to make. Forgive me for not becoming passionately vocal and active in the fight for the unborn. Forgive me for ignoring the problem because it doesn't really touch my life. Lord, stir up within me a righteous indignation against the murderous spirit unleashed across this world and give me a plan to do my part! Father, give me a burden to pray for the unborn like never before. Teach me how to teach my children and loved ones about the value You place on human life. Help me to put action into my passion and use me for Your glory! Give me the opportunity to minister Your forgiveness, love, and mercy to those who bear post-abortion scars. Let me feel Your passion, Father, and give me the courage to get involved. Protect the unborn, Lord, and reveal Your purpose and passion for human life to us all! In Jesus' name and by the power of His might I pray, amen!

"… for in the image of God has God made man." (Genesis 9:6b)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

From Him or In Him?

Many people have the fear that if they ever revealed to someone what they were really like, that person would reject them. There are many people who go through life thinking there is no way anyone could ever know them intimately and still love them. However, God knows us, better than we know ourselves! And, He loves us more than we could ever imagine! "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me."  (Psalm 139:1 KJV)

God is omniscient . . . He is all knowing. And He knows all things about everything, and He knows it perfectly! He knows what we need before we pray! He knows and understands our suffering! He never misunderstands us or anything! We stand naked and open before Him. There is nothing He doesn't know!

Because He is omniscient, we have to remember that His ways are better than our ways. We need to learn to trust Him and be obedient to Him because He knows where each path will ultimately take us. Because of His omniscience, He knows what is best for us! All that is requires of us is total trust and obedience.

Take a few moments today and consider the things that you have hidden away hoping that you won't have to deal with them ever again. God already knows they are there and He wants you to know that it's okay; you don't have to hide them away in the secret recesses of your heart. He has already made a way for you to deal with them. If it is sin, it's under the blood; if it is shame, He's already dealt with it.

If you're hiding shortcomings, He knows all about them. After all, He made you who you are and the way you are—you are fearfully and wonderfully made, by His hands and for His glory!

Are you hiding FROM Him or are you hidden IN Him? Search your heart today!

Father, it is so hard sometimes for me to comprehend the love you have for me. It's hard for me to understand how you could love me after everything I've done! I stand before you right now and ask you to forgive me for limiting your power in my life by not acknowledging Your omniscience! Forgive me for hiding from You and help me to live a life hidden IN You. Father, help me to "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3:18-19 KJV) Amen and Amen!

"Let no man deceive himself.
If any man among you seemeth
to be wise in this world, let him
become a fool, that he may be wise.
For the wisdom of this world is
foolishness with God. For it is written,
He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts
of the wise, that they are vain."

(1 Cor 3:18-20 KJV)

© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

First Things First

What do we think of when we see prayer answered? If we're like most, our attention is immediately drawn to the answer of our prayer and giving God the glory is not our first priority. Unfortunately, if we don't see answered prayer, praise is often far from our lips, or secondary at the very best. This verse implies something quite different we need to carefully consider:

"Blessed be God, which hath not
turned away my prayer,
nor his mercy from me." 
(Psalm 66:20 KJV)

The Psalmist was quick to recognize that his prayers had been heard and God's mercy had been provided. But even knowing all that, his first matter of business was to give praise and glory to God; the emphasis is not on answered prayer, but on giving God the glory due His name.

Praise must be first, regardless of the outcome of the prayer. Praise should be continually on our lips, long before we see the answer to our prayers. Praise should be a way of life. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, said, "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Phil. 4:11) Paul wasn't concerned about his life's situations and circumstances. He understood the Psalmist's statement in today's verse: "Blessed be God...." He first praised God, then acknowledged God for answered prayer and mercies shown.

Begin to praise God today for Who He is, for what He has done, and for what He is doing. If He has answered specific prayers for you, be sure to acknowledge it, but praise Him first and foremost.

Don't allow your praise to be conditional on how you feel or whether God has answered prayer, but make heart-felt, genuine praise to the King of kings and Lord of lords a priority in your life, today and every day!

Father, I praise You! I bless Your Name for Your Name is above every name that is in heaven or on the earth. Your glory can be seen in all Your works, there is none like You in all the earth. Father, thank you for hearing my prayer and for unconditional mercy, but most of all, Lord, I give you praise for who You are. Amen!

The Very Life and Breath of Holy Love

The very life and breath of holy love . . . the depth of longing beyond human desire.

The Psalmist paints for us a picture of intense desire, unquenchable thirst, and unfathomable longing for nothing other than God, yet still more and more of Him.

"As the hart [deer] panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."  (Psalm 42:1) Herein is described a desperate thirst and anxious desire for God … not the rituals, the ordinances, or the sacrifices, but such desire was for the person of God, to know Him, to love Him, to embrace Him—the Living God! God was recognized as the Fountain of Life, the only Fountain that can quench a truly thirsty soul.

It is the soul that pants, the soul that thirsts, which speaks to us not only of sincerity, but also of the strength of true desire. The longing deep within the heart of the Psalmist is compared to the panting of a deer which is naturally hot and dry, especially after being hunted. So does his gracious soul desire communion with God, showing impatience, exemplifying NEED of the TRUE thirst-quencher. Nothing short of this sweet communion with God could ever hope to satisfy this longing; no pleasure known to mankind could ever suffice!

In comparison to the Psalmist's plea for an encounter with the Ever Flowing Fountain, how strong is your desire to know God, to love Him, to embrace Him?

Lord, I must confess that there are many times my desire to commune with You is not as intense as it should be, but I am so thankful for the Psalmist's words today which provoke me to long after You, to thirst after You, to desire You more than ever before. Father, I accept this challenge to reach for a deeper communion with You as I find myself seeking after the very life and breath of holy love found only in knowing You in a greater way than ever before. Father, I love you. I thirst for You! Amen!

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."  (John 6:35)

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© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

She Found a Protector

Kay Arthur wrote a short story which gives us a glimpse of what the name of the Lord truly means to us:

"The muffled, distant sound had broken the quiet reverie of his walk across the meadow. The sharp barking of a dog almost irritated him. It was abrasive in that tranquil setting. As the barking grew louder, his eyes scanned the meadow, looking for the culprit. Suddenly a small doe broke through the edge of the woods. Now he understood. Leaning against the fence post, the man watched with compassion as the doe cut across the broad expanse of meadow. She was running straight toward him. He stood motionless, not wanting to add the fear of man to the animal's frustration. As the frightened fawn leaped the fence, she staggered. The chase had taken its toll. Her wet coat gleaming in the sun, the doe stopped, took a few steps in one direction, then, ears held high, looked back toward the sound of the barking. The dog had broken through the woods. Eyes wide with fright, confused, worn out, panting wildly, the doe surveyed her surroundings, quickly discovering the man standing beside the fence. Glancing back for an instant at the dog in hot pursuit, then viewing the expanse of open field before her, she turned weakly and wobbled straight toward the man. She approached him without fear and buried her head in his tummy. Compassion flooded his heart and filled his eyes. She had found a protector."⁽¹⁾

I'm reminded of the scripture of the Lord being our Strong Tower: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10 KJV) The doe found a "strong tower" and she ran into it; she was safe! What a beautiful picture of the name of the Lord as our strong tower. In Him we find the reality of His covenants and promises—a strong tower, impenetrable, impregnable, and immovable!

Where do you find your refuge? Who or what is your tower of strength? Where do you run in time of trouble?

Prayer: Father, I long to be like the deer and find refuge in You. I acknowledge my need for You more each day. Meet me at the point of my need to know You more. Amen!

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© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved
⁽¹⁾From "Lord I Want To Know You" by Kay Arthur, 1992, published by Multnomah Books

Be Encouraged

Yesterday I sent an e-card to a good friend of mine who is going through the second round of chemotherapy treatments for cancer. The process has been long and hard for her; she suffers from chronic fatigue and the treatments simply take everything out of her to the point she may sleep 15-18 hours a day or more.

I picked out a card that was simply silly, nothing heavy or hard to mentally process, and sent it to her with a little note and signed my name, "Giggles". A few hours later she responded with a note saying she hadn't laughed like that in a long while and she appreciated the "word of encouragement"! I wondered what on earth she was talking about—to me, it was just a silly little e-card. But for her, it was a word of encouragement.

Wow! What a feeling! To know my silliness was such an encouragement for my precious friend. My own faith was strengthened and I was encouraged to know God used me in such a simple way to bless her.

"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith." (Romans 1:11-12 NIV) God intends that we be "mutually encouraged by each other's faith." It's why He has "fitly joined together" those of us who are of the faith. (See Ephesians 4:16) We are encouraged as we encourage each other; we are strengthened as we impart strength to one another—our lives are connected by our faith in Christ.

Oftentimes when we're silent, we hinder the flow of the ministry of the Holy Spirit through us. Send an e-card or a note (a silly or light-hearted one) to a friend or two and watch how God uses it to bring encouragement to your friend and to you. Impart strength to them and you will also be strengthened.

Lord, use me to bring encouragement to others, help me to impart strength to those who are weakened by life's challenges. Lead me to touch a friend's life with Your love. In Jesus' name, amen.

____________
© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved

All Things in Common

As I sit in the Tampa airport waiting for the boarding call for the flight back home, the events of the past few days fill my mind and my heart, but how do I articulate it? How do I put it all into words that would even make sense to anyone other than me? It's certainly not an easy task, even for one who seems to never be at a loss for words. It's very strange to learn later on in life that you have real family—people who share the same DNA, some of the same features, and even some of the same personality quirks. No one can ever tell me that personalities and behavior tendencies aren't at least somewhat inherited.

I remember as my adopted brother (Danny) grew up. We were raised the same, in the same environment by the same parents and yet we were as different as night and day. There was no commonality between us.

Now, as I get to know my biological brother (Tom) better in his own environment, I see more commonality between us than I did with my adopted brother. It's strange – we were separated when I was nearly 21 months old and he was 6 months old. But, there are similarities that surely aren't merely coincidental. We look very much alike in some ways, and yet we are very much different. Our children even have some commonalities; not only in physical features, but in personality and challenges they've faced in life.

I had the awesome pleasure of meeting my nephew—this is the first time I've met a true nephew as opposed to a nephew-in-law. As I looked at Josh the first time, my heart melted. I felt almost as if he was my own son and it felt as if the feeling was mutual. He hugged, he was genuinely thrilled to learn he had more family. While we were eating dinner, Dana called and she had a chance to talk to him and my own children are thrilled to know they have cousins on my side of the family. All these years, everything has been all about Ron's family because they were all connected by blood. My own family has basically forgotten I exist because I was "just adopted" inferring that I had no true connection to the family. But now there IS a true connection to Joshua McCauley. Some day I hope to meet my niece, Heather McCauley and reach out to a young woman who somehow I feel like belongs to me although I've never met her.

It's all very strange—I know I keep saying that, but there's no other words to describe the feeling. After all, if your family hasn't been touched by adoption, you probably have a hard time comprehending the strange feeling of finally finding people who share the same features—the same bump on the nose, the same eyes, the same creases in the ears, the same thickness around the middle with thin legs, the same prematurely gray hair, etc.

Being raised in an adopted family, I longed to hear the words most adults speak about children: "My! How Janet looks like you!" Other cousins looked like their parents. But I didn't—there wasn't an iota of commonality. My mother was tall and thin and fair-skinned with light hair. My dad was tall and perhaps a little stocky as he grew older, but had the distinct features of the Bosch family. They were both very attractive people. But there I was, short, stocky, black hair, hairy, clumsy, and desperately wanting to feel like I belonged. I was so different!

So, needless to say, these past few days have been another eye-opener for me. Actually, I was seeing eye-to-eye with my own eyes in both Tom and Joshua. Many people commented on how much we look alike although I have to admit that didn't totally thrill me except for the fact that there was someone who looked like me for the first time in my life. But Josh…he looks like Debbie, he's built like Debbie—they share a lot of same features more than the other two. His life has been a lot like Andrew's including his original fascination with architecture and drafting. Coincidence? I really don't think so!

This all makes me think about the family of God. How much commonality is there between us. I mean, really. Think about it! Do our brothers and sisters in other denominations or even in other nations bear a "family" resemblance? Can you see in them what can be seen in them? Are our similarities more than just coincidental? What do we have in common with each other? Do we even look for a common denominator in our Christian brothers and sisters? Do we look like our Father? How much do we look like our Father? How many of His characteristics can be seen in us? Are they obvious or does one have to really look for them?

Just as I noticed commonality with my brother in our personalities, I'm wondering how much of our unique personalities are reflective of our Father's. It's more than just the ears or the nose or even the toes that matters … it's the heart, the ways, the manners, the behavior that I want to point to my Father. We should welcome comments like, "Janet! You remind me of your Dad!" But I wonder if people really see Him in me? By birth in Terra Alta, West Virginia I'm a Stockwell. By adoption I'm a Bosch from Cleveland, Ohio. By marriage I'm a Ross living in Willard, Ohio. But the relationship that counts is my citizenship – I'm a daughter of the Most High God and my home is in Heaven!

Commonality … what do I have in common with my Father? How about you? What do you have in common with Him?

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© Jan Ross 2007
All Rights Reserved

All Things New

My sister-in-law, Wanda Lou McCauley, has personal understanding of the verse, "Behold, I make all things new!" (Revelation 21:5) Wanda went home to be with the Lord on December 21, 2007, and indeed, to her God has made ALL things new!

Can you imagine going to sleep and waking up with a new body? Can you imagine the glorious witness of knowing first-hand how God releases us from a body of pain and frailty to be set totally free to walk with Him on the streets of glory?

"Behold, I make all things new!" Wow! The very thought of what Wanda experienced just a few days ago fills my heart with excitement. One day we, too, will understand just how "new" God makes all things when He calls us home from this wilderness journey. Those of us who confess Jesus Christ as Lord will one day shed these old bodies and take on gloriously new bodies, walk the streets of pure gold in newness of eternal life with our Beloved.

Although we are rejoicing over Wanda's homegoing, there are others who are experiencing a different kind of "new" … life without the presence of a loved one. For instance, my brother, Tom, is experiencing "new" as he goes home to an empty house, looks in the bedroom and sees an untouched bed. He gets up in the morning to experience silence and loneliness. His experience of "new" is not at all like his wife's but the experience is "new" nonetheless.

But, there is good news—just look at the opportunities of "new" which lie ahead for him.

Tom has the opportunity to learn God's grace from a different perspective! New! New perspective! He has the opportunity to understand how God works through His Holy Spirit—the Comforter. When discomfited, Tom will experience the Comfort that only God can give. When filled with grief and pain, He will experience the peace that passes all understanding. When he experiences lack, He will see provision. When he experiences emptiness, He will be filled. When his grief is overwhelming, he will find compassion. When his life seems worthless and meaningless, God will remind him that He was called from his mother's womb to fulfill a purpose on this earth that was meant for only him. He will find satisfaction.

The guarantee for these "new" things is signed in the shed blood of Jesus Christ as "Guarantor" of an eternal covenant between God and those who love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose. (See Romans 8:28)

We don't have to go through the loss of a loved one in order to experience the "new". All that's requires is that we enter into covenant relationship with Christ. All these benefits (and so much more) are available to all of us who are in Christ … "newness" of life, "new" levels of contentment and fulfillment in Christ, "new" opportunities to see the hand of God work in our lives. More importantly, however, we can find "new" in fulfilling opportunities of serving others.

With the new year here, what kind of "new" will you look for in the months to come? What kind of "new" will you experience? What kind of "new" awaits you?

Why not establish a set of "new" goals, "new" direction, and "new" endeavors for 2008? Don't wait for "new" to happen to you … begin to make "new" decisions that will have an eternal impact on your life and the lives of others.

"New" can be a blessing. It's all in our perspective. Wanda is experiencing eternal "new" while those of us left behind have "new" opportunities to touch someone else's life with the "new" that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

"Behold, I do a new thing!" Let God do "new" in your life by reaching out and doing "new" for others, to others, and even (when necessary) in spite of others.

Pray for Tom as he goes through the days of grief and mourning. Pray for Wanda's son, Christopher, as he learns to go through life without a mother who loved him so deeply. Pray for Wanda's grandson, Connor, who knows she is with Jesus but wonders when she will come back. Pray for the family as they feel the pain of loss of a loved one. But as you pray, thank the Lord for giving Wanda a warm welcome as she entered her "new" eternal home with Jesus Christ.

It's a new beginning! "Behold, I do a new thing!" There are many new's awaiting those of us who are "in Christ" if we'll just look for them.  And, if you don't know Christ, today is a "new" day of opportunity to confess your need of a Savior, repent of your sins, and begin a "new" journey in the security of the Lord's loving care.  Feel free to contact us and we'll be glad to help you get started in a "new" life with Christ.

"He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD." (Psalm 40:3 NIV)

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© 2007 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved