Wheat field Banner

Gleanings From The Word

Tag: Kevin Corbin

  • First Day – Remembrances and anticipation

    First Day – Remembrances and anticipation

    blurry image of my first day of school c1963

    This is far from the clearest photo in the world, but here I am, ready for my first day of school. Yes, they had schools and even cameras back then. My mother took it out of the apartment building window.

    I’m looking pretty dapper in my little uniform and carrying my lunch bag. My companion was a slightly older friend who lived in the same building and attended the same school, but I don’t recall her name. I remember her nickname, but it wasn’t flattering.

    The school was on a military base in Germany, where my father was posted during his career in the Canadian Armed Forces. I have a few school memories but don’t remember the first day. I suspect that I was terrified.

    I might have been nervous about going to school for the first time, but the truth is I love learning. Other than a few years in high school, I have loved school. I have been upgrading my education since leaving high school.

    I love the first day of school. You get all new supplies, new classes, and meet new people. You also get exciting new syllabi (or syllabuses, if you prefer) to read. Yes, I read them because they tell you much about what to expect and are quite helpful.

    Even when I am not in school, I love to learn. I suppose I am a bit of a geek. When the instructor asked a question, I was often the annoying student who jumped up and down and said, “I know, I know.” I didn’t do that to show off. I wanted to share what I had learned, and my high school friends may never have seen that side of me.

    Every day is an opportunity to learn with the Lord. Our first day is the day of our conversion. We are born again and given a fresh start. We are babies in the faith.

    From there, every day is the next first day in our journey with the Lord, which will last forever—a new day to experience His mercy and learn about Him.

    The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

    A new day to walk afresh with Him.

    Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2 ESV

    I confess that I look forward to the most incredible first day of them all, after the day I became a Christian. On that day, I shall see my Lord and Savior face to face for the first time.

    Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 ESV

    They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Revelation 22:4 ESV

    There are many books out there where people claim to have been to heaven and returned. Yet none I know of talks about meeting the Lord; it is always family and friends.

    Of course, I look forward to seeing my family and friends. Yet, first and foremost, I long to see the one who gave His life that I might live.

    He knew me before anything existed outside Himself. He loved me when I was an unlovable rebel and mocked Him. He is an even bigger fan than my mom, and that’s hard to beat.

    On my first day in glory, I will see His face. What a moment that will be.

    I look forward to seeing you there, but after I meet Him.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

    Check out these posts

    Fences – barriers to love

    The good news of the gospel

  • Water Rats and hard hearts

    Water Rats and hard hearts

    I stood on the lakeshore watching a muskrat contentedly swim along, either oblivious to or ignoring me. As he swam by, a nonsense children’s song from my childhood flashed through my mind. “Fat, fat, you water rat. Moby Dick your mother was a whale.”

    It didn’t mean anything; it was simply fun to sing. Piffles, that is nonsense rhymes and songs often make me smile, perhaps it’s my inner child.

    Curious about the origins of the song, I did some searching online, and it seems to have its roots in a street song from the early 1900s.

    As the song echoed in my brain, I was reminded of an account from Scripture.

    Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear let him hear.“But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,“‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds. Matthew 11:11-19 ESV

    Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees for their hard hearts. They have made up their minds about John and Jesus, and no amount of proof will satisfy them. Like petulant children, they did not dance with joy or mourn.

    Sometimes, as Christians, we can act that way about the church or our local assembly in particular. I’m sure we all know people who complain about everything on a Sunday morning.

    For them, there is always something wrong with the preacher, the sermon, the music, the brand of coffee. No one greeted them at the door, or perhaps someone did. It’s the wrong Bible translation. The congregants are too formal or irreverent. The programs aren’t what they should be. I’m sure you have heard all these and more.

    Now, to be sure, not everything is perfect in any local assembly. Everyone can have a grumpy, off day.

    These constant complainers, who are never satisfied, have a heart problem. They can be frustrating and cause divisions in the church.

    Such people need our prayers. We also need to pray for our own hearts, that we love these unhappy people and not let their lack of joy rob us of ours.

    We have the ultimate reason for joy in Jesus. Let’s not squander it on petty inconveniences or with cold, hard hearts.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

    Kevin

    You might also like

    What does it mean to believe?

    Read the Word.

    The best news you will ever hear