Author: Kevin Corbin

Kathy has a large travel mug with a butterfly pattern and part of Psalm 39:7 quoted on it. This morning, I drank my coffee from it and pondered the message of hope.

It inspired this morning’s “Gleanings.” Since I wrote on the subject of hope yesterday, I’ve chosen to call this one “More Hope.”

What is hope? One online dictionary defines it as an intransitive verb, meaning “to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true.” Hope is a verb, which means it describes an action. It is a choice.

Sometimes, hope is nothing more than a wish or dream. We want something to happen, but our hope has no foundation. For example, I could hope to win a million dollars in a lottery. Since I don’t play the lottery, my hope is nothing more than a fanciful dream that can never come true.

Then, there is the biblical idea of hope, which is grounded in God’s nature and character. We know the Lord is perfect, loving, merciful, generous, and faithful. We know He always delivers on His promises.

We know that we can hope in Him, provided that our desire is in accordance with His will and character. 

He doesn’t promise that life will be easy this side of eternity. He doesn’t say we will get everything we wish for. Our struggles are often the tools the Lord uses to grow our faith and test our character.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23

Our hope, peace, and joy transcend the circumstances of life. Our hope and faith are not some vain wish but grounded in the King of kings.

Hold fast. He is faithful.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

It was miserable and rainy on Saturday, but we needed to get out  of the house and go for a walk. So, as we sometimes do, we drove to a greenhouse/garden center and walked around there. There is always room to walk and interesting things to see.

On this trip, we headed to #Minters in Chilliwack, one of our favorite spots. The staff is knowledgeable and always friendly, and there is plenty to see at any time of the year.

We were treated to a wide range of bird sightings as we traveled to Chilliwack and back. There were plenty of the usual ducks, geese, cormorants, gulls, and crows. We also saw a pair of eagles and what looked like a vulture in one of the fields we passed. There were fields full of trumpeter swans.

What struck us most, though, were the great blue herons. We usually see a few on our travels, but the numbers were way up this trip. 

It’s heron mating season. They gather huge numbers from all over, forming rookeries ranging from a couple of nests to hundreds. When you get near the rookeries, it’s like listening to something out of a dinosaur movie and a little unnerving. They roar and make the strangest noises. Of course, I’ve never actually heard any dinosaurs roar, but the movie sounds and the rookeries are eerily alike. It’s even worse when they are disturbed.

Sometimes, Christians and the church can sound like that. We make a lot of incomprehensible noise, and people soon identify us with the noise. Unfortunately, that noise is mostly about what we fear and are opposed to.

When we should be the voice of grace, love, forgiveness, and hope, we can come across as just another panicked, hate-filled group.

My friends, that should not be so.

We have the answer in the gospel and hope of Jesus the Christ. We have experienced love and forgiveness. We know the victory is his and passed onto all who trust him. We have nothing to fear.

The world can strip us of everything, even our lives, but it cannot take our Jesus and His promises. We are called to share that marvelous truth.

Hate and fear-mongering have no place in our message to the world. We are called to trust Him and share the hope.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 16:3

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:25

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

It may sound hackneyed and even cliche, but Jesus truly is the answer.

My friends, let us cling fast to our hope. Let us share the truth with a frightened world. If we don’t tell them, who will?

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

We had weather yesterday. That’s not unusual; there is weather every day.

We had WEATHER yesterday. It wanted to throw a bit of everything at us. It was sunny in our backyard, then cloudy. It rained, hailed, rained again, and then snowed. That was followed by wind, rain, and cloudiness again. It was as if the weather couldn’t decide on the season.

The seasons seemed to be blown around with the wind. That brought to mind a familiar Bible passage.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8

I often hear this passage misused. Many believe it teaches that you can pray in faith for anything you want and get it, but that’s not what the text says or implies.

The text is specific: “If any of you lacks wisdom.”

What is wisdom? It is more than education, knowledge, and experience. It is more, in fact, than all those combined. Biblical wisdom is a divine gift of understanding and discernment.

Wisdom is the ability to understand and apply the things of God. It is more than just knowing about them. It is living there.

Solomon asked God for wisdom (1 Kings 3:8-13), a gift the Lord granted in abundance.

The Proverbs tell us that wisdom is there for the asking.

Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? Proverbs 1:20-22

We can be saved and still wallow in the mire, unwise and stumbling. Or we can ask God for wisdom and find it in His Word, illuminated by the Holy Spirit. 

Once we have seen it, we must begin to apply it. Intellectual knowledge alone is not wisdom. Wisdom is found in how we live according to what God has revealed.

Do you desire wisdom? Ask Him in faith and act upon what He reveals.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

The birds are glad to have us home and filling the feeder again. I  looked out this morning to see a pair of house finches contentedly feeding away. The red highlights on the male brightens the day.

Underneath the feeder, though, it isn’t so pretty. The debris from previous feedings has piled up in a mushy mess I must clean up. Amazingly, some of the seeds have started to sprout, and there are plenty of little green grass-like shoots.

The regenerative power of God’s creation is astounding. Seeing those little shoots reminded me of something I had seen many years ago. I was moving some straw bales on my parent’s farm and saw something that made me stop and look twice.

A full head of wheat was growing on one corner of the bales, completely headed out. While seeing wheat on a farm isn’t unusual, this one was unlike any I had ever seen. Due to the harsh growing conditions, it was less than two inches tall.

It was in the days before everyone carried a phone with a camera, so I don’t have a picture.

God took something, in conditions totally unsuitable and stunted, and brought fruit from it. 

If He can do that for a lowly stalk of wheat, imagine what He can do for His people. We are designed to be in relationship with Him, be conformed into the image of the Son, and bear Spiritual fruit.

From our perspective, the conditions of life might be nearly unbearable. We might wonder how on earth God could ever use us or overcome our situation. We know we are weak vessels that struggle to stay faithful, often failing.

Yet, He chooses to use us.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

He uses the weak to show His grace, mercy, and power. I’m grateful.

He will be glorified through you and me. Praise His name.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

___________________________________________

There was no “Gleanings” yesterday as I was too brain fogged from travel to form a coherent thought. The trip was great, but as always, it was great to get home.

This little wooden plaque hangs on the wall of my home office; before that, it was in my workshop. Back in the spring of 2016, I was trimming back some old jumpier bushes and by chance found this piece. I’ve left it as I found it.

I call it “The Juniper Fox” for pretty clear reasons. I’ve always collected interesting stuff, like odd branches, strange rocks, and the like, and the juniper fox just cried out to be saved.

My poor mother and wife will both attest to finding all sorts of “treasures” in my pockets over the years. For some reason, they didn’t think most of what I found was nearly as interesting as I did.

I’m in the process of writing a series of children’s books. They will have Juniper Fox as one of the supporting characters.

The juniper fox was in that old bush, just waiting to be discovered. I have often found something similar in reading the Scriptures.

Much of Scripture is noted for its perspicuity, that is it is clear and easy to understand. I don’t believe in the many “secret Bible codes” that await the unveiling of some author or another who is just waiting to sell you a book about what he has discovered.

Over the years, I’ve met a few people who have “shared with me” secret meanings that the church somehow missed for all these centuries, and only they were smart enough to figure it out. Then, they filter everything in the Bible through the warped lenses of their newly revealed understanding of a verse or two.

However, I do believe that there are gems of wisdom in Scripture that are very easy to read right past without pausing to think about. 

In my recent reading, I was in 2 Samuel. It is the tragic tale of King David’s family life. His son Amnon premeditates the rape of his sister Tamar. Neither their brother Absalom does anything about it at the time, nor does David the father when they find out about it afterward.

Some time down the road Absalom, who hates his brother for the rape and also wants to eliminate a rival successor to David’s throne, plans and executes the murder of his brother and then flees for his life.

After a couple of years, King David allows the son back into the city but refuses to see him. David’s nephew Joab knows David wants to see his son, so he organizes some trickery with a compliant woman who tries to talk David into seeing Absalom. David relents and allows the son back into his house but will not permit him to see David.

The account then moves on to the account of Absalom trying to usurp the throne. (see 2 Samuel 13-15). It’s a brutally ugly story of treachery, poor parenting, rape, murder, and deceit. It’s hard sometimes to remember that we can be just as sinful as they are.

Buried deep in the story is a profound sentence spoken by the woman sent by Joab. It’s easy to skip over it. I can attest to that because I have read it many times and missed it. 

We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. 2 Samuel 14:14

She refers to David’s willingness to permit his son to return, but at the same time, it paints a beautiful picture of God. In our sin, we are all dead and banished from the Father’s presence. Yet He makes a way, through Christ, for us to be redeemed into fellowship with Him.

While this verse isn’t a prophesy, per se, about the plan of redemption through Christ, it is a picture of sorts of what God does for us.

With Jesus, we are no longer outcasts, exiled from the kingdom, unworthy to be in His presence because of our sin. Our sin demands death as did Amnon’s sin of rape and Absalom’s sin of murder. Yet the Lord gives us a way back.

It’s not a secret Bible code. It isn’t a new way to look at the Scriptures. It isn’t a “new truth” that I discovered. It is simply one of many hidden jewels that God has placed in His word for us to discover and be reminded of now and then. There are many if we take the time and read carefully.

I pray that you turn to God and accept His gift of salvation. If you are already His, I pray that this passage reminds you of just how gracious our God really is, that He would save rebels like you and me.

May you know Jesus, and may He richly bless you

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

__________________________________________ 

Please like and share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.

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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life” are © 2001, 2025 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

___________________________________________

It’s a celebration day in the Corbin household. Kathy and I were wed forty-eight years ago. It’s been an up-and-down journey, but she’s the greatest gift I ever received, other than freedom in Christ. Happy anniversary, Kathy.

This Sunday at our local assembly, we continued in our survey of the gospel of Luke with a look at Luke 5:1-11. We followed up at our Monday night community group gathering.

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:1-11

It’s a familiar passage, filled with meaning. It could easily fill a month of preaching. Jesus is calling some of his earliest apostles. We see the forgiveness of sin and miracles. The passage is impressive in so many ways. 

As we discussed the passage, one group member made an observation. I thought it was interesting at the time, but the more I thought about it, the more profound it became.  It isn’t the primary thrust of the passage, but still.

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”

We see the tension between grace and works. The Jewish people had been laboring under a rigid system of works for centuries. They toiled under the relentless pressure from the rabbis to conform to the Law and the fences around it. It was an impossible standard.

When Peter trusted and obeyed, he was blessed.

No matter how much we strive and toil, we cannot earn our freedom in Christ. No amount of good works can ever atone for our sin.

Trust in Him. It is so much more freeing than a life of endless, fruitless toil.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2025 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

Christianity is incredibly simple: we trust in Christ for His grace  and mercy, and the Spirit conforms us into His image now and forevermore.

Yet, at the same time, it’s anything but easy. We know His grace will produce transformation and good works in us. That means we look to ourselves and others seeking to see those works and changes.

In seeking to be like Him, we can quickly produce fruitless works and become judgmental. 

The works/grace balance is a challenge. We can become so works-focused that we become legalistic or so “grace” focused that we become libertine.

Last week, I wrote extensively about what Christians ought to do or be or how they should think. From that, you might think I was advocating some form of works-based righteousness or a scale of merit.

Not at all; only the work of the Spirit can produce meaningful changes. We can never make God love us more than He does right now. He loves his children without measure. 

We are made new, sealed by the Spirit, and being made into the image of Christ. We are adopted into the family of God and made coheirs with Christ. We are blood-bought, Spirit-filled people, chosen of God. Our future and salvation are secure in Him.

We can relax and take comfort in living in the shadow of the resurrection. Yet, we must never become complacent. We must constantly review our lives and behaviors.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellenceby which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-11

Examine the type of fruit you are producing. Is it small, sour grapes or large, juicy watermelons? Are you more like Christ than you were before?

May you walk in His grace and discover a greater capacity for love, forgiveness, and abundant fruitfulness. May the fruit of the Spirit flourish abundantly within you.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

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© 2025 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

I’ve been debating writing on a topic for some weeks now and  decided that today is the day to tackle it. It fits in the two most recent Gleanings about what Christians sound/act like.

Please forgive me if it comes across as an exasperated rant. The election season is just over south of us and gearing up here in Canada. Political topics are being discussed everywhere, including the media and social media.

It’s good to be informed on political issues. It’s OK to discuss them.

That’s not what I see. From all ends of the political spectrum in both nations, the discussions are hate-filled rants and personal attacks. Everyone seems out to demonize someone else. 

It sounds like the frenzied attack of a pack of ravenous dogs.

Both sides are proclaiming it’s the end of the world.

Now, I will be the first to admit there are plenty of issues on both sides of the border, and both nations have slid downwards for a long time. Things may change, but it isn’t the end of the world.

Christians are not immune to this form of thinking and speech. Some of the most bitter, vitriolic words flow from Christian lips.

My friends, we should not be known as haters. Even in extreme disagreement, we should seek peaceful understanding rather than sounding like a rabid mob.

It betrays a foundational lack of trust in God. God is sovereign over the affairs of humankind. It is by his decree that nations and empires rise and fall.

For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations. Psalm 22:28

He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. Job 12:23

God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. Psalm 47:8

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 1:31

Our job is to serve the Lord and be His ambassadors in the face of turbulent times. We need to be peacemakers and not a riotous mob.

There is a hurting world out there that needs the hope of Christ. Let us use these uncertain days to grow in the Lord’s love and the gospel’s truth.

Lord, forgive us as we fall into the trap of demeaning those who disagree with us and for not trusting you.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2025 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

The spotted towhee is a regular visitor to our feeders. Their bright coloration makes them a delight to watch. There was a flock of a dozen or so out there moments ago. Before moving to the Lower Mainland, I had never seen a towhee. 

Towhees are a large New World sparrow, roughly the same size as a robin. They are bright and colorful, but they are larger than many of the feeder’s visitors so that they can bully the smaller birds a bit.

These birds are named after one of the sounds they make, which sounds like “tow-hee” or “tow-wheeeee”

Like many birds, you can identify them by their call without seeing them.

After writing about chuckling ducks yesterday and thinking of the call of a towhee today, I wanted to know if you could identify Christians by their sounds.

Many in the world associate Christians with some of the loud, hate-filled sounds of some believers that the media likes to portray. I don’t know if those people are Christian or not; that is for God to sort out. 

I do confess a certain embarrassment when people talk about “those” Christians. Their words often dishonor God, and I don’t want to be like one of “them.”

Yet, if truth be told, often my words do not honor the God in whom I profess faith.

I have a—let’s be generous and call it “colorful”—vocabulary from my time in the oil patch and military and from growing up in those communities. I work hard at suppressing it, but it can creep out explosively in times of duress. 

Sarcasm forms part of my sense of humor. I have to be careful that it doesn’t become mocking and demeaning. Mockery and demeaning are not pleasing to the Lord.

I can complain too much and be discontent. My words of discontentment and complaints reflect poorly on my belief in our heavenly father’s gracious, loving, and compassionate love.

James deals with this issue.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.[b] For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. James 3:1-11

Fortunately, I know the Spirit is at work, shaping and reforming me. He is helping me to check my speech. Someday, I pray that people will know I am a believer by my speech and that it will make a positive impression.

I’m not talking about the phony “Christianese” that many adopt to sound pious and holy. That can be a real turn-off.

I pray He teaches us to live our lives in such a way as to be pleasing to Him and that our words match up to that. May the world come to know us for our love, compassion, and honesty in speech and deed, and may it reflect the glory of our Lord.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

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Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

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© 2025 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

If you know me or have been reading Gleanings for any length  of time, you will know that I have a soft spot for critters of all kinds. I never tire of watching them.

Farm critters, wild beasts, birds, and even fish can hold my attention for a long time. Rare sightings, such as a mother and baby hippo in the wild in South Africa or a wolverine in the BC woods, have a special place. Still, I get excited seeing a squirrel, rabbit, or any number of common birds.

One of my favorite bird species is the humble mallard duck.  I can’t begin to count the number of them I have seen in my life. I’ve seen flocks that number in the hundreds, singles, and any combination in between.

These dabbling ducks are possibly the most recognized species and are native to much of the Americas, Eurasia, and parts of North Africa. They have been introduced to many other parts of the world. I tried to find an estimate as to how many there are in the world, with no success, but it’s safe to say their numbers are almost beyond counting.

Mallards are social birds and have a contented call when chatting amongst themselves. That call can best be described as a chuckle. If you’re unsure what that chuckle sounds like, a quick online search will give you plenty to listen to.

The mallard chuckle is a happy and contented sound. They have another call, which makes them sound like they are laughing. Those calls always make me smile.

The humble, common mallard always seems to be a happy bird.

It makes me think of how Christians ought to sound. Only believers have any true hope in this life or reasons for true, lasting joy. No matter what is happening around us, we always have a reason for joy.

Even in times of trial and testing, we have a greater reason for joy.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

Now, it would be naive to suggest that Christians should always go around chuckling like mallards. There are seasons of sadness and mourning.

Still, the apparent lack of joy in many believers is sad.

We would do well to heed Paul’s admonition to the Philippian believers.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness[a] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-8

As a believer, you have reason for joy for whatever is going on in your life. It transcends our circumstances and supersedes simple happiness.

Look to the Lord, my friends, and rejoice.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.

__________________________________________ 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format.

Subscribe today: https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

For an archive of many back issues, visit our website at https://gleaningsfromtheword.com.

© 2025 Gleanings From the Word, K.F. “Kevin” Corbin. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.