Wheat field Banner

Gleanings From The Word

Tag: Kevin Corbin

  • Well Done Good and Faithful Servant

    Well Done Good and Faithful Servant

    Time is flying by, and that has me in a reflective mood this  morning.

    In three days, the days will be getting longer again. In seven, it’s Christmas already. In fourteen days, we will be in 2026.

    I remember being in high school and thinking how far away the turn of the century was. Now I hear kids talking about events of “the late 20th century,” and I realize I’m not even vintage anymore. I’m an antique.

    At a celebration for my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary, I remember thinking what a long time it had been since they were married. Now, in just over a year, Kathy and I will hit our 50th.

    Where did it all go? What was it all for? A lot of it was probably wasted, still. I hope that some of the time over the past 67 Christmases (68, in a week) will have been of eternal value.

    I still think of myself as a “new” believer, but in retrospect, I have been a believer for over three decades. Not all of that time was used wisely.

    Fortunately, the Lord loves me and forgives my shortcomings. No one has missed salvation because of anything I did or didn’t do.

    In Matthew 23, we read the parable of the talents. The master gives three men responsibility; two are faithful, and one is not.

    To the faithful servants, the master says, 

    “…‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” Matthew 23:21, 23

    I long to hear those words.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted that despite everything, I will be allowed into the Master’s presence by His grace and mercy. That gift was granted to me by faith (and even the faith itself was a gift).

    I sometimes joke that I will be at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, but only to bus the tables. Yet, even that is far more than this sinful man deserves. I pray that you too will hear the words well done good and faithful servant.

    I know His love, patience, grace, mercy, and faithfulness are real. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind about that. 

    Yet, I cannot even begin to fathom the depths of those things. I’m grateful for them, even if I don’t fully comprehend.

    As we think of that helpless babe in a manger over the coming week, let’s take time to reflect on who He is and what He has done for us.

    He is the reason for and the joy of the season.

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

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

    Your might appreciate

    RIP Your Majesty – You were a Faithful Servant

    __________________________________________ 

    Subscribe today 

    Find us on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    Visit our Homepage

    Find us on Pinterest

    ___________________________________________ 

    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, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

    From Gleanings From The Word (Kevin Corbin, 2001– ), a Scripture-based devotional work.

    Some thoughts on living the Christian life

    # Right Belief Must Become Right Living

  • A long but vitally important list

    Most of us have our Christmas wish lists. Santa Claus has his  naughty and nice list, but the Bible has its own lists.

    The Gospel of Matthew starts in what might seem, to some, a weird and/or boring place. We often skip reading it.

    The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. 

    And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph,and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

    And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

    So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. Matthew 1:1:17 ESV

    For most people, this long, painful list of names seems irrelevant, so why would Matthew start there?

    The primary reason was to show Jesus’ lineage through His earthly father, confirming prophecy about the Messiah.

    There is also a sense in which Matthew wanted us to see the fullness and inclusiveness of Jesus.

    There are kings and great leaders listed… David, Abraham, and more. Peasants and royalty make the cut. Saints and sinners show up. Jew and gentile are on the list.

    There are women on the list, which is uncommon in the ancient world.

    Some of the names are well-known, others are almost totally obscure.

    One commentator observes, “Some observe what a mixture there was of good and bad in the succession of these kings;… wicked Roboam begat wicked Abia; wicked Abia begat good Asa; good Asa begat good Josaphat; good Josaphat begat wicked Joram. Grace does not run in the blood, neither does reigning sin. God’s grace is his own, and he gives or withholds it as he pleases.”

    The lineage of Jesus includes a good sampling of people, which is apt as He can to redeem all people regardless of gender, nationality, cultural background, social standing, or sin.

    He came for you, me, and our neighbor. He came for that person we hate (although we shouldn’t) and that family member we are desperate to see saved. 

    Jesus keeps a list called the Lamb’s Book of Life. Through faith in Him, we can get our names on that list.

    That’s the miracle we celebrate this time of year. The child was born to love the unlovable and save the unworthy (that includes us)

    Let heaven and earth rejoice.

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

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

    You might be interested in

    Did You Know? – This might change how you do Bible reading
    Read the Word. Read the Word. Read the Word.

    ___________________________________________ 

    The True Miracle Cure – The Gospel