Luke: Real to Me

by Luke Kincaid

I became a disciple of Jesus on a Friday or Saturday evening in my teenage years. In the moment of my salvation, I remember experiencing a tangible moment with God which I can still vividly remember, even while typing this up. Following this evening, I tried my best to follow after Jesus as best as I could. I remember waking up and reciting Ephesians 6 and putting on the armor of God before going to school ready for the spiritual battle! Unfortunately, I experienced very little discipleship in this time and the things of the world ended up drawing me away from my true Master.

My experience of God in these times of disobedience are some of my favourite because God was so faithful and patient with me while I chose not to walk in His ways. He showed me incredible grace because I was often aware of the fact that I was being disobedient as the Holy Spirit brought to remembrance the teachings of Jesus which were contrary to how I was living. And in this time, I experienced the consequence of my sin and experienced the love of God through His discipline in correcting me:

 ⁵ And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him, ⁶ for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives. – Hebrews 12:5-6

I eventually came to my senses, repented of my disobedience and started to get back on track with following Jesus. Flash forward many years and Cammie and I were a few months away from getting married. Cammie was working and I was finishing up my studies with no real opportunity, or finances, to move in together after being wed. One Sunday morning, friends of ours approached us, not knowing our predicament, and offered us the option to stay free of charge at the cottage on their property after getting married. This brought Cammie and I to tears as we experienced God’s providence and this providence is something which we have experienced on more than one occasion proving the following words of Jesus:

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? ^– Matthew 6:25-26

 God has been real to me through the show of His grace and patience toward me as well as His continued providence to me and my family. I am so grateful to be a disciple of Jesus and a child of God!

Much love,

Luke