A few weeks ago, my wife Sue and I took yet another Alaska inland-passage cruise, our 4th one. We just love being out on the ocean, seeing glaciers and bald-eagles, whales and all that good food! One late morning while ordering special coffees at the International Cafe on the Grand Princess, I noticed the Eastern European waitress talking with a young family also getting some refreshments. Trying to focus my ears to hear what was going on(not being the snoopy type!), I discovered they were all speaking the same language, Russian or something similar. And what a happy, joyous, animated conversation! They, crew and passenger,spoke the same language, and that made all the difference. As a matter of fact, we saw that same waitress and this young family of 4 talking together just about every time we were in the International Cafe. It was so special for them. Probably they knew all the same places and towns and holidays and customs. They had a bonding that the rest of us just did not enjoy. I was thinking though–it’s the same in the Lord. When we’ve opened our lives to Jesus as Savior and Lord,when we accepted Him into our hearts, we feel such closeness and intimacy with others who likewise know Him. There’s that bond in Jesus that makes us brothers and sisters, family really. And what could be better than family! Now don’t groan! I know…God made family at a weak moment! He had troubles with His first 2 kids also! I know. But blood is thicker than water. And Jesus’ blood makes us one in Him, a bonding that can never be broken. My wife and I always request a table for 2 from the Matre ‘de. And to be served dinner at the earliest hour. Usually, they can accommodate us, and that was the case on this Alaskan cruise. Yeah, not having to chit-chat with some strangers who are loud and feeling no pain, if you know what I mean! And 5:30pm so we’re not carting around all that food and then to bed on a super-full stomach. Before we sail, we always pray to find Christians on our trips–someone who speaks the same language. But this cruise had an amazing answer to prayer…3 couples in a row, all at tables for 2, all quiet and fun, and all believers in Jesus Christ. All of us! Like those men on the Road to Emmaus who encounter Jesus where He opens the Scriptures to them about the Messiah, about Himself, then sharing a meal together; and their hearts become so warm because of Jesus and that same language and those bonds of love that can never, ever be broken!