Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
October 11, 1970. My father, Robert Ross, was 30 years of age when, on this date, he surrendered to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He had been saved four years earlier. From the day he was saved, he helped the preacher, served the church, witnessed whenever possible, soon taught Sunday School – whatever was needed he wanted to serve. Then the day came when God tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Give your life to me. From this day forward, I want you to be a preacher.” He stepped out, accepted the call, and never looked back.
August 7, 1979. I was 17 years of age, recently graduated from high school, plans of my own making, heading into life. Then God tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Give your life to me. From this day forward, I want you to be a preacher.” I wrestled with God for about 24 hours, then publicly surrendered to preach – stepped out, accepted the call, never looked back.
April 26, 2011. I held my daddy’s hand as he breathed his last breath. His soul slipped away, upward, but away. Forty years of preaching, praying, and pastoring was finished. In that time he was “stedfast, unmovable, always abounding”. Upward and away, a faithful voice now silenced. A few days later, I stood behind the pulpit and preached his funeral. Preached – because that is what I had been called to do. Today. Maybe today, God will tap some young man on the shoulder. Maybe today, someone will hear that still small voice saying, “Give your life to me. From this day forward, I want you to be a preacher.” If God calls you to preach, step out, accept the call, then never look back – well, with one exception. Look back and thank Him as you remember this now special and important date.
Pastor Jerry Ross
Blessed Hope Baptist Church | Jasonville, In
