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The Great Reunion

We threw together the First Annual Brock family reunion last weekend held at the cemetery where my great grandparents were buried. Our plan was to meet our cousins in the cemetery to visit and decorate the graves, then go to the second cemetery, and from there head home.

When we pulled into the first cemetery, I was surprised to see two of my dad’s first cousins standing there waiting for us. I jumped out of the car and ran up to them and hugged both ladies with tears of joy in my eyes. I really had no hope of them showing up, since we hadn’t heard from them, but there they were, and I recognized them right away. Another cousin with some young children came, as well as some of the family that went with us. It was a joyous occasion.

We visited and I gave my little speech about the family tree and how we were all related. Then we decorated the graves, while the children played around on the open area of the cemetery.

However there were so many other family members that we had contacted who weren’t able to attend and we were sure sad that we didn’t get to see them. We hope to see them next time.

It’s funny that the reunion took place in a cemetery, where our relatives are buried. However there is coming a great reunion one of these days, and those who are dead in Christ will meet with those who are alive in Christ, but it will take place in the air, not in a cemetery. And this time there will be no one missing from the family of God.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” First Thessalonians 4:16-18 NKJV.

One day the family of God will be reunited with the Lord and each other. Won’t it be glorious?

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Walking on the Water

I was working as a telephone operator in 1983 when a repairman came to change a light bulb on my console where I sat. I asked, “What is your title?” and he said, “Central office repairman.” And to myself I said, I could do that.

That chance encounter planted a desire in my heart and I started telling everyone I wanted that job. By 1984, I was working that job in my hometown.

I didn’t just fall into that job by accident though.  I had to take an entrance level test which  qualified me to transfer into the job, but then I had to go through months of on-the-job training and  company schools that equipped me to do the actual day-to-day work.

 

It wasn’t easy and I often said that if I had known all the things I would have to go through, I don’t know if I would’ve had the guts to try it. There were times along the way that I failed, wondering if I was going to make it, but I took one step at a time and my dream job became mine. The Lord was with me every step of the way, and I prayed through each test I took.

Peter got an image in his mind when he saw Jesus walking on the water and he said to himself, I could do that, so he called out to Jesus, “Master, bid me come.” Jesus spoke only one word, Come, and on the power contained in that one word, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water. (Matthew 14:28-29 KJV)

As long as he was putting one foot in front of the other, taking one step at a time, he was doing fine, but as he looked around him at the wind and waves, his image of himself walking on water changed to an image of himself surrounded by the storm, so he began to sink and he quit walking.

“Lord, save me.” At least he had the good sense to call on the Lord in his time of trouble. Then Jesus met him right there and they walked, both of them walked, back to the boat together, on the power of Jesus word.

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Precious Memories

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The first time I remember visiting graveyards was when I was 8 in May of 1958. After dinner on the ground at our house in Vinita served on long tables made out of boards, we drove to the cemetery at Bluejacket, Ok. to decorate the graves.

Our California cousins and Wichita cousins had come to visit that summer as well as our Uncle Cecil who took movies with his new 8mm movie camera. This was the same one he had used in California earlier in the year to take movies of the Rose Parade, mainly concentrating on the bathing beauties and palomino horses that area is so famous for.

Uncle Cecil took movies of my cousin Larry, the “monkey” of the family, doing cartwheels and acting silly. Cousin Donnie who was my age had to show off doing some kind of silly gig and then the Aunts got into the picture showing how to do the Charleston.
In later years, we loved to watch those movies, especially when Uncle Cecil rolled the film backward to show us taking the food out of our mouth when we were eating. Sometimes I wonder how I can remember all those things, but it has been imprinted on my mind, probably by seeing it over and over again in movies.
God is keeping track of all the good times too. Movies will seem so primitive when we get to heaven and learn how He has preserved the memories of our lives.

In I Corinthians 3:12-17, Paul talked about what foundation we are building our lives on-“gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear, for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.” This reward is not salvation, of course, but special rewards for what we have done for the kingdom of God on this earth.
When we stand before the Lord Jesus, the record of our life will be revealed for all to see. Precious memories of my life will never fade away in heaven.
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Just Like a Child

When my grandsons were little, they delighted in bringing me flowers from the yard, so I put the little precious dandelions into little jars of water for them to enjoy. When they came back a day or two later, they got new flowers from the yard to replace the faded dandelions in the jars. I treated those little weeds as though they were the finest long-stemmed roses from the florist.

Jesus told His disciples to become like a little child. So what is a little child like?

  1. A child sees beauty in everything. A dandelion blossom is as beautiful to her as a rose.
  2. A child believes everything she is told. If the Bible says it, a child believes it.
  3. A child lives in the moment. The future is meaningless for a little child, and so is the past. A little child wakes up in a new world every day.
  4. A child delights in music and dancing and fun. Give the child some saucepans and spoons and she will make a joyful noise. She will dance around and run and play with abandon when she is having fun. If she doesn’t know a song, she will make one up.
  5. A child is not concerned with where her next meal is coming from, or what clothes she is going to wear. She just trusts mom and dad to always provide what she needs.
  6. A child is always learning. His curiosity will cause him to ask endless questions, always inquisitive, learning, and growing.
  7. A child is sensitive to spiritual things. He has an inborn revelation of a supreme being and deeply desires to know God. He is born with heaven in his heart, spiritually alive unto God.
  8. A child loves with all her heart, totally and completely, without reservation.

Jesus told the disciples, “‘Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’ And He took them [the little children] up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.” Mark 10:15-16
I want to be just like a little child.

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God’s Treasure Book

We’ve been watching a National Geographic Channel show recently called Diggers about 2 crazy-acting guys who travel around with their metal detectors and uncover “artifacts” that have been lost to time. Most of the time it is stuff like old metal buttons, bullets, or cannonballs, but it is fun to see all the things they find and then watch the items being examined by experts to determine what it is and what the value is. The Diggers usually have a lot of areas to search so they mark it off in a grid and search one area at a time.

I like to read the Bible that way, bit by bit, verse by verse, chapter by chapter. I seek out treasure from what I read.

Many people consider the Bible a group of stories that may or may not be true, but have no real value in our everyday life. They might believe that Jesus was a mythical figure, or represents goodness in humanity, or that he was a good teacher or prophet, but may not be sure he was the Son of God. And they aren’t sure that the Bible is actually God speaking to them.

One day I had to make a specific choice. I had to choose to either believe that the Bible was God speaking, that it was truly His word, or that it was just a good storybook. If I believe that the Bible is God’s word, then if I don’t obey it, I am going against God’s word, which is the same as rebelling against God.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NIV.

You can search the Bible for nuggets of truth, or as I have labeled them “Jewels From the Word,” or you can just read it like a good storybook and miss out on the treasure he has hidden there deliberately for you to find.

God has given us His word to lead us to Christ and to teach us how to live our lives on this earth.

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Job’s Wife

Things were looking pretty good for Job and his wife. In the prime of their lives, they finally had their kids raised, had a nice home, with plenty of money in the bank. Job was a well-known leader in the community, just about the wealthiest man around. They were just about ready for retirement.

Then overnight they lost everything. Their seven sons and three daughters were killed in a terrible storm. Their enemy stole all the cattle, donkeys, and camels. Lightning struck, killing the sheep and servants. The next thing you know, Job got sick and was covered with boils all over his body.

Just when Mrs. Job was going through the worst crisis of her entire life, taking care of a sick husband, on top of it all, three of his old crony friends showed up. She had to wait on them hand and foot, entertaining them when she least felt like having company.

You have to feel sorry for her. It is like the old Heehaw song, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” The way Mrs. Job saw it, Job must have been doing something wrong for all these bad things to happen to him. He might as well just give up trying to serve God. No wonder she told Job to just “curse God and die.” Actually, it would have been a whole lot easier on her if he had died. But Job just laughed at her and said, “‘You talk like a foolish woman.’ In all this did not Job sin with his lips.“Job 2:10
Job knew and trusted God to make something good come out of it all. He knew that this would turn out for his benefit because he trusted in God. He told his friends, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation.” Job 13:15-16 NKJV.

When it was all over, Job got well, Mrs. Job got pregnant, and all their friends and relatives had a big housewarming party and took up a collection for them. The Bible says that Job ended up with twice as much as he had before. They even had ten more children. God blessed them because of what Job said, rather than what Mrs. Job said. I guess she finally figured out when to keep her mouth shut.

It was a good thing she let Job have the last word.