First Makes the Grade

Genesis 1:5 God called the light "day", and the darkness he called "night". And there was evening, and there was morning -the first day.

There she sat, a blonde haired wisp, delicate as a dandelion puff. Seeing her sit straight-backed, brave in her school desk. Memories flood my mind. Memories of her tramping around the house in her daddy's shoes. As I fought back tears and an overwhelming urge to rescue her from her wooden symbol of higher learning. My mind screamed 'She's too little!' while I heard myself say "Bye Sweetheart. You are going to have so much fun at school today." She nodded. She wasn't afraid. I on the other hand can still feel the knot in my stomach. My daughter is thirty- one years old and the memory of her first day of school carries with it an ache known only to those that have held and released something precious.

No wonder God placed so much emphasis on first fruits. There is something of great significance in a 'first'. Let's take a little trip down memory lane. Think back to your first kiss, bike, car and roller coaster, time away from home, your first job or first paycheck, your first year of college or of marriage. These firsts will evoke a variety of feelings, pleasant and unpleasant depending on the players. Seconds don't hold the same weight. A first experience can't be duplicated.

God gave us His first fruits when He gave His only begotten Son. Will we give Him our first? He desires the best of what we have. I trusted my daughter to the skilled hands of many teachers and because of that she has the gift of an education. Is God, the one who created us, reliable?

II Corinthians 1:20 - 22 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.

Can we trust God with our first fruits? Can we trust the One who is able to keep all of His promises? The One is able to make us stand firm? The One who has sealed us with a guaranteed deposit of what is to come?

Revelations 21:10-11 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.

"What is to come", that is a first that I enjoy reflecting on. Imagine the first glimpse of heaven. It's magnificence left the gospel writers longing for a more adequate description. They used images of jewels, precious metals and brilliant colors to describe the indescribable. God has given us that city as an inheritance. It's an open invitation. You may not ever make it to the exotic locations that you dream about visiting. But no one needs to miss the splendor of heaven. It is promised to all that will trust in Jesus. The ticket has already been purchased. God paid the price. We only need to accept the love that has been lavished on us. It wasn't cheap love. It was freely given to all. It was given to the worst of sinners and to those who have sinned little: one ticket-one price-one way.

Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

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Darlene Hight lives with her husband, Mark, in Hamilton Ohio. She is drama coordinator for Crossway Community Church, a member of Christian Writers Guild, a mother of three and grandmother of eight and Oh yeah? A writer. If you would like to contact Darlene, you may do so by writing her at Didget_01 < at > yahoo.com

© 2008 Darlene Hight - All rights reserved.

This column is Used with permission.