"Little Cowgirl"

My little cowgirl asked me,

Poppy, why’s the sky so blue,

I told her with a tender smile,

God made it just for you.

She looked up at the stars with me,

She pointed way up there,

She asked if that’s where heaven was,

I answered her with care.

Beyond the stars, yet oh, so near,

Is God’s heaven grand,

Jesus said He’d take us there,

To that gorgeous, blessed land.

She asked me if her dog was there,

I said you never know,

Jesus might be playin’ fetch,

Her eyes began to glow.

She giggled, then she laughed out loud,

I then asked her why,

She said she talked to Jesus,

A certain, sure reply.

What does Jesus say to you,

She told me with a grin,

He tells me not to be afraid,

And stay away from sin.

That last thing surprised me some,

I thought this little kid,

Really didn’t do much wrong,

And nothing to be rid.

But when I said, hon, you’re all right,

She said I know I am,

‘Cause I’ve been washed completely clean,

By the blood of Christ, the Lamb.

After that we didn’t talk,

But she quietly hummed with smiles,

I dropped her off at my son’s house,

And drove the last few miles,

To my place in the country,

Where I listen to the dark,

About the words my grandchild said,

I heard a distant bark.

I thought about the dog that died,

I knew my time would come,

I also know that I am washed,

And where the grace comes from.

No matter what the age or stage,

The best is there, you see,

The keeper of a million stars,

Is the One who’s keeping me.

“You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters…” (1 Peter 1:22, NLT)

One of the most beautiful expressions of God’s love for us is that He cleanses us. When we put our trust in Christ, He forgives everything! This facilitates a whole new life and relationship with the Lord. He will continually cleanse us as we walk with HIm. Since we are being loved this way, Peter the apostle counsels us to pass the love along to others. This can be challenging, especially if we need to forgive someone who has hurt us. But the cleansing, forgiving, healing grace of God empowers us to do just that. Praise the Lord!

Lord, help us to receive Your cleansing power and pass Your kindness on to others, in Jesus’ name.

Art by JaNeil Anderson, janeilanderson.com. Used by permission. Thanks, JaNeil, and God bless you.