Cornerstone

Mark 4:10-13 (11)

A man born in the city decided to move to the country and start a chicken farm. He bought 200 baby chicks and a farmhouse with some land around it. The chickens all quickly died. He bought 200 more baby chicks. Again, they all died. Puzzled and distressed, the man wrote to the county agricultural agent and described his problem. He concluded his letter, “I want very much to be a successful chicken farmer. Therefore, can you tell me: Have I been planting the chicks too close together or too deep?” Whereupon the county agent wrote back and said, “I can’t answer your question until you send me a soil sample.”*

The disciples seemed to be about that dense sometimes. Sometimes I am as well. And yet I take great satisfaction in reading that spiritual things are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor 2:14) Because of my relationship with Jesus Christ I now have a greater insight into the meaning of God’s Word. There are some passages of Scripture that we will still struggle with until we develop more in Christian growth. But as Mark Twain once said, “Most people are bothered by those passages in Scripture which they cannot understand. The Scripture which troubles me most is the Scripture I do understand.” It is essential that we accept and work with what we DO know as we are developing a greater understanding of the Word.

*Adapted James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 211.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Heb. 11:1-13 (13)

Have you ever been to a foreign country? The only countries that I have been in beside the United States of America include Canada, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Myanmar (Burma). I had the same experience in all of these foreign countries.

Although my visits to these foreign countries were brief and beneficial, I had an inner longing to return to my home in the United States of America. It was there that I felt the tension disperse from my body. I reminded myself that I had freedoms and privileges that even other free countries envy. This also reminded me that although I love my country and at home here . . . in a real sense I am not at home. I am only a pilgrim, a stranger passing through. My citizenship is in heaven. One day a King came to visit and saw that I was an orphan, helpless and alone. In love, pity and mercy He adopted me and made me His son. At that time He gave me citizenship in His country. Since that time I have been trying to learn to be like His only begotten Son because I want to be well prepared to enter the Pearly White city and enjoy my citizenship in heaven forever!

Dr. Gayle Woods