Devotions | The Journey

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Eyes in The Night

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before Him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything. 1 John 3:19-20

See if you can get this one right.

What type of accident causes one million collisions that are responsible for 27,000 human injuries and $3.5 billion in damages?

Did you guess “texting”? Wrong! The correct answer is automobile accidents that involve deer. My sister-in-law is a great dear hunter with a vehicle.

Of course, there are other kinds of vehicle-animal accidents. A friend once had a parishioner who experienced nightmares because while driving he had come around a corner and saw hundreds of eyes staring at him. That was all he remembered before his car plowed into a herd of Black Angus cattle, which had broken down a fence and wandered onto the road.

Anybody who has been involved in such an accident wishes there was a way he could know, he could see, animals that were on or approaching the road.

If that describes you, I’ve got good news. Mercedes-Benz and Autoliv will soon offer Night View Assist Plus on their S-class automobiles. The system will identify people, cows, moose, deer, camels and wild boar. To make this option available the companies journeyed to five continents, catalogued thousands of animals and spent many millions of dollars.

I guess those are the hoops humanity has to jump through if we want to see that which once was hidden.

In contrast to our extremely limited vision, we have the Lord who knows everything because He sees everything. He knows the location of all the animals I mentioned and, along with that, He knows the position of every ant, bacteria, virus and mold spore. Because He knows these things, we shouldn’t be surprised He also knows everything about us.

And that fact, could be discomforting because it also means He knows our dark thoughts, our evil desires, our sinful longings, and our disobedient actions. He knows on our own we wandering humans will soon be mowed down by that which is lurking on or near the roads of our lives.

To prevent that tragedy God made a great — an unbelievable investment — to make us safe. His was an investment which cannot be measured in time or paltry dollars and cents. That’s because God’s investment was the life of His own Son.

Now because of the love of God and the grace of Jesus Christ we need no longer be afraid of collisions. They will come, but because of Jesus we are safe.

Dear Lord, we give thanks you have invested the life of your Son to keep us safe by the mercy and grace of Jesus. Through him we know that we are held safely in your loving arms no matter what is standing in the road around the next curve. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

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What is 2 + 2?

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 1 John 3:8-9

A few years ago, I heard about an international company that was looking for a new director of marketing.

The position was a lucrative one and many applicants came forward to be interviewed. Eventually, the candidates were narrowed down to two finalists. Each of those men was brought in for a short and final visit. They were asked the same question: “What is two plus two?”

The first candidate thought a bit about his answer. He was wise enough to know that there had to be some kind of deeper purpose behind such a simple question. Eventually, he answered: “The answer to two plus two is four … or we could also say it is the number between 3 and 5.”

The man was thanked for his time and escorted out.

The second individual was invited in for his interview. The same question was asked of him: “What is two plus two?”

Without hesitation, the man replied with a question of his own. He asked, “Tell me what you want the answer to be, and I will make it so.”

That fellow, and not the first, was hired.

It occurs to me that in some respects that story is the story of our lives. Whether we are conscious of it or not, we are all interviewing somebody whom we can spiritually follow: somebody into whose hands we can and will place our today and our futures.

There are two candidates. The Lord says, “Put yourself in My hands. I can tell you the difference between the low road and the high road. I can lead you to faith in Jess, who gave Himself so you might be forgiven and restored to my family. In Jesus your life can be blessed and your eternity will be assured.”

But there are many more candidates seeking our loyalty.

When we bring them in and ask why we should follow them, they say, “Tell me what you want the answer to be, and I will give it to you.”

Tragically, far too many people hire the easy road right then and there. That’s because these promises seem so good, so beneficial, so desirable. Only the passing of time shows they have been duped by the “father of lies” (see John 8:44).

This is why I encourage you to follow the Lord. Only He has shown the kind of love that can forgive your sins, redeem your soul, and grant you all you really need … not want … but need.

Dear Lord, the world’s seductions seem to promise satisfaction. May we be given eyes of faith that expose it falseness. Further, may we be granted the ability to trust in Jesus, who alone can give us what we need. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

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It Finally Happened!

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

As most of you know, I retired (after 40 years in ministry) on July 1, 2013. Since then I have sought to live out the laws of “Casual Friday.” That is – be as casual as you can be or dare to be. I have only worn long pants part of one day and my neck has not touched a buttoned collar or a tie. I now know why that has caught on so rapidly in church. It has nothing to do with that word “contemporary” just simply comfort. I now know why preachers want to dress casually in the pulpit… it is much more comfortable without a tie or a tight collar.

But, alas my friends… it all ended today with a terrible reply to a text message. You see, I am officiating at a wedding Saturday. That means tonight is the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Since the rehearsal is at the home of the groom, I thought it would be, at the most, business casual. I texted David (the groom’s brother) to ask about the dress code. To my shock… he texts back “The norm is coat and tie.” I woke up about a half hour later as Shirley was drying the tears from my eyes. I checked the phone several more times and there was never the reply which said “I am kidding.”

I expected the horse collar tomorrow, but I thought I had one more day. This will mean that I have had to wear a tie or collar two days in a row…. plus, I have to wear a belt and socks and dress shoes. Oh, the humanity????

I kid you about all this… but I have enjoyed shorts, sandals – the casual feeling. The truth of the matter is I would wear a monkey suit to be with this family. I officiated at the wedding of another brother (David and Kendall) a few years ago. Being with the Murphy’s was and is an absolute hoot. Folks, they could take their conversations on the road and make a killing… packing the halls and clubs every night.

So tonight as I dine with them at Sedgefield Country Club, with all these constricting articles of clothing around my neck, waist and feet, know that I will be having a wonderful time.

It is good to have friends that you want to be around – even if you have to wear uncomfortable stuff. Thank God for your friends. Take steps to always stay as close as you can. All of us will benefit greatly from having true, good friends.

Dear Lord, thank you for allowing these families to cross paths and become friends. Thank you for lifting us up by being together, in and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

PS: Remember Kendall who is in UNC Hospital

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Syria: Red Line or Diplomacy?

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

I must admit that on the Syria business I have gone back and forth between my beliefs about what we should do. Perhaps you are in the same situation. We have been through this with Iraq when the intelligence told us they had weapons of mass destruction – even showed us the trucks carrying around these mobile labs. Our Secretary of State, Colin Powell – for whom I have the utmost respect – went to the UN and made a convincing case using flawed, even contrived intelligence. We went to war and there were some pretty nasty consequences from which Iraq has yet to recover.

I agree with most people, the use of gas is evil.

But here is my question: knowing how evil Al-Qaeda is and that there are no depths it will not go to carry out its Jihad, are we sure – I mean absolutely sure that it was the Syrian government that used the gas or was it someone else seeking to get us to act militarily after that red line was crossed? It could have been either one of these – or both.

My next question is what will be the result of our missile strikes? Will we really degrade the government’s ability to wage war or use gas on its own people… Or will we have succeeded in putting Al-Qaeda into a more powerful position in Syria – even to the point of making it easier to take over the government entirely?

The behaviors and the people we are talking about are the same behaviors and people found in many Old Testament stories. Frankly, they haven’t changed all that much. My military mind would say let go over there and take care of business in quick order. My logical mind would say hey, let’s think this thing ALL the way through – passed the strikes and include what fall out make take place after there is a change – who will be in charge and can we deal with them?

My spiritual being says theses are brothers and sisters who need our help and full understanding. There must be a way we can move the world (in all its fractured parts) can move toward peace.

I recorded “Miss congeniality” the other night. This FBI agent hated beauty pageants, especially the part where every contestant says she wants world peace. In the end isn’t that what the world really longs to celebrate… A world where all people will feel safe and know that all others will come to their aid when needed. That is the world I pray for every day.

Dear Lord, Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

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Remembering Labor Day

Posted on September 3, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands—O prosper the work of our hands!” – Psalm 90:17

As we find ourselves back at work let’s think again about our time off celebrating Labor Day.

Our church and many of its leaders have been supporters of the labor movement over the years. We have supported efforts to ensure that laborers were treated with respect and paid fairly. We have backed the right of workers to collective bargaining.

We should continue to support these values and policies. We should recognize the value of unions both for their members and as a counterbalance to other powerful interests in the arenas of politics and policy. And we should fairly compensate those who work for the church.

But we should not hesitate to call unions to reform and renewal where it is needed. Some unions that began as justice movements have become protect-the-status-quo organizations. When that happens, unions have forgotten their own story.

Of course, when it comes to forgetting your story, we in the church have a few things to own up to ourselves. The church, too, has been guilty of forgetting that our calling is to serve Christ and his Realm and instead have served ourselves.

Labor Day also reminds us how many people today have no work at all. This is really, really bad, and I wish we were a lot more concerned about it than we seem to be. It is bad because a job not only allows a person to support themselves and their family, but because work really means so much more. Work often brings with it a role and an identity. Moreover, our work is a source of many of our most important relationships. That’s a lot to lose.

It’s a good day to honor and say thanks to everyone who serves the common good by their labor. And to remember with prayers of intercession and action those who are without work and all that a job means in our lives.

Thank you, God, for work to do; for useful tasks that need study and strength; for the comradeship of labor; and for exchanges of good humor and encouragement. And, hear our prayers, we ask, for those who don’t have a job, who may have about given up hope. Sustain and uphold them and guide us in creating a society where everyone has a chance to contribute, in and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

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De-Friended

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

Shirley and I were on Facebook earlier today and noticed some very good news; someone we knew, I officiated at their wedding, announced that he had just got the perfect job and would be moving closer to the beach. We thought that was wonderful news and so Shirley commented to them that we hope he and (we used his wife’s name) would be very happy in their new home.

A few moments later another friend of their’s responded with their joy because these two would now live closer to them. Very quickly a person we did not know, but had seen pictures of her on his Facebook page, responded lol. That was an odd, if not hurtful thing to say. We don’t think it was “Lots Of Love” but “laugh out loud”.

Shirley looked more on his page and his wife’s page and found some interesting things. No one in her family is listed as a friend. She is listed as married while he lists nothing in that status.

I don’t know what is going on, but they are/were a beautiful young couple with great, great promise. I just hope they are ok.

But my fear is everything is not ok… because after the other woman wrote her lol… we were de-friended immediately.

I would have preferred a private note but I think I get the message. I would love to be proven wrong. My best wishes to these friends.

Facebook is life unfiltered by the brain. So many times we put things on there (and I believe we are encouraged to do so) before we think or in order to get a reaction.

I am so thankful that Jesus doesn’t de-friend me when I say things that may unintentionally be offensive or hurtful. I am glad that he can see me as I really am – warts and all – and still be my friend. We all need friends, especially Jesus.

Dear Lord, bless this young man and woman, and no matter what the situation may be, surround them with your love and your grace that they may live lives on the higher plane of life, in and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

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Shine Your Light on Me!

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. Isaiah 9:2

A seventh-grade Sunday school teacher asked her students to read the ninth chapter of Isaiah, where it talks about how — because of Jesus — “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”

Amazingly, the following week when the teacher asked how many of her pupils had completed the assignment, almost every hand went up. Feeling confident, she asked, “Do you remember, in verse two, what the people saw?”

Nobody seemed to remember.

Indeed, a couple of hands flew to their Bibles and began to look up the passage. Undaunted, the teacher encouraged, “I’ll give you a hint. The passage begins, ‘The people that walked in the darkness ….'” Nobody was brave enough to answer. Finally, with a fair amount of frustration, she decided to bribe the class. “There’s a some M & M’s (that is what I would do) for the first one who gets it right. ‘The people that walked in the darkness ….'”

With the motivation of some sweets, hands popped up all over the place. She called on one student. He answered, “The people walking in the darkness use less electricity.” No, that wasn’t right.

Another said, “The people who walked in the darkness stubbed their toes on the coffee table.” No, that wouldn’t do, either.

Another volunteered, “The people walking in the darkness are usually burglars.”

One student, quite confidently said, “The people who walked in the darkness could really use a flashlight.”

Just as the teacher was thinking about taking early retirement, one of the students found the passage and finished it, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

In our age that story is especially appropriate. There are a great many people who see Jesus in different ways. For some He is a “philosopher”; for others a “teacher”; for others He has become a “giver of moral platitudes.”

It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit’s that we see Jesus for who He really is — and was.

He is God’s perfect Son who came into an imperfect world to seek and save the lost (you and me). Because He has fulfilled the Law, rejected every sin, and conquered death, all who believe on Him as their Savior are given eternal life.

By God’s grace may we all be among those who, in Jesus, have seen God’s great light.

Dear Lord, once we were doomed to darkness. Now because of Jesus’ work we are brought into never-ending light. For this we give thanks. But we also pray that all others may be moved into the brightness of Your love, in and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

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Take a Look in the Mirror

Posted on August 29, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” – Jeremiah 1:5

Every now and then someone will ask me: “How do you know that you’ve been called to be a minister of the gospel?”

I could tell the long story of my calling and my running from that calling until I ran right into Jesus. Perhaps I could answer in the words of Howard Thurman: “I learned to follow the grain in my own wood.” That my calling was in the grain of my being… I needed to recognize that it is there.

Discerning the calling in your life has a lot to do with getting to know yourself. For me, the calling of God has always echoed in the chambers of my consciousness.

Listening to your own inner voice can at times be more daunting than listening to the voices of others. Searching for all the answers outside of ourselves always gives us an excuse to postpone the hard work of introspection and self-evaluation.

A clinical psychologist once told that her greatest aim is help people to listen to and pay attention to themselves. She says that when a person becomes cognizant of himself and his self-conflictedness, he is well on the road to psychological health.

Could it be that our greatest discoveries are really the discoveries we make about ourselves? Could it be that that the greatest challenges we face are actually the challenges that are innate to who we are? Could it be that the discernment of our life calling is really an invitation to explore the deeper meanings of our own lives?

A young seminarian went to hear a lecture by Howard Thurman. He wanted him to sign my book (‘Jesus of the Disinherited’), but more importantly, he wanted him to give him some spiritual guidance. Our young seminarian said: He looked at me and wrote these words in my book: “You know the path. Walk in it.” Being told what Iwealready know was not really what we are looking for, but it does make us begin to take more seriously and to look more closely at the man in my mirror.

Dear God, it is amazing how our journeys in life keep leading us right back to ourselves and right back to you. Help us to follow your leading in and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

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Am I Normal?

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

Steve & Shirley

Rebekah called her younger son Jacob and said to him, “Your brother is consoling himself by planning to kill you… Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, and stay with him a while—until your brother’s anger against you turns away, and he forgets what you have done to him.” – Genesis 27:42-25

In a town called Normal, Illinois, there is a lovely sculpture in a park that features a husband and wife embracing and looking lovingly into each other’s eyes, while their young children sit contented on their laps. The sculpture is entitled, “The Normal Family.”

The only trouble with that image of family life is that none of us live in a place that could be described as Normal. That may be why that sculpture is regularly vandalized—the vandals are striking out at an idealized image of the family none of us can live up to. As a mother once told me, “The only thing normal in our family is the knob that says Normal on the clothes dryer.”

In contrast to that sculpture, the Bible does not hold up an idealized picture of family. Instead, the Bible depicts families with rival siblings and tension between the generations. There is marriage and betrayal, children who refuse to honor their parents and parents who hold back a blessing from their children. There is love expressed in many of the families of the Bible, but there are also heated arguments and stony silences, slow-boiling resentments, and rifts as wide as a canyon.

So when I hear reference to biblical family values, I wonder: are they talking about the rifts and alienation or about the sibling rivalry and bitter resentments?

Catholic author Richard Rohr tells a story of Navajo rug weaving. These beautifully handcrafted rugs are perfectly structured, except for a corner on each rug where an obvious flaw can be found. When he asked why flaws were allowed to remain in such otherwise perfect rugs, he was told, “This is where the spirit moves in and out.”

Our families, and the families depicted in the Bible, are far from perfect. They are flawed. Yet it is exactly in those flawed places that the Spirit of God can move and where we can catch a glimpse of grace.

Dear God, may your Spirit move in and out of the imperfections of our lives. Where there are flaws, let there be grace, in and through Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve

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Jesus Wept

Posted on August 27, 2013 by Dr. Steve Martin

“Jesus Wept!”

I never thought I would hear what I heard on TV News tonight… not in North Carolina… Not in America.

It seems that in Raleigh – our State capitol – it is against the law for churches to feed people – homeless people in downtown Raleigh – especially one area of Raleigh. It is true. Over the weekend three churches were feeding the homeless downtown and a policeman came up to them with the warning that if they did not stop feeding the homeless he would have to give them a citation. He would arrest the church for feeding the homeless in an open place in downtown Raleigh.

This is the same Raleigh who voted (legislature) to end extended unemployment and reduce the amount of they would get overall. Don’t they know that if you take support away from those who are unemployed they will become homeless – there will be more homeless people? Cutting the funding to Community Colleges which get more people back to work quicker than the four-year colleges, and making it even harder to get help through government sources just adds to the problem. For them it seems to be about money and not about people.

Here is what Raleigh is more worried about… in the news piece the business owner being interviewed said “these homeless people could hurt their business.” Isn’t that what it is really about… money and not compassion… possessions and not people??? I think “Moral Mondays” and “Moral Wednesdays” should turn into “Moral Everyday.”

Even more severe is the news coming from Columbia, South Carolina. Columbia’s proposed new homeless program called “Columbia Cares” is giving the homeless in the city of Columbia three choices: 1). Agree to be relocated (out of the city to a rural area) to a homeless shelter; 2). Leave town on their own, or 3). Be put in jail. This to be built homeless shelter is not funded and the council expects the churches to take care of the homeless.

Do you hear what they are saying: “We don’t want people to see that there are homeless people in Columbia – don’t stain our pristine look – get out of sight – especially the historic district. And the money to support them is to be a “Budget-Neutral” situation. That means the city is not going to pay for it.

Haul them out-of-town, make it illegal to be homeless and feed homeless out in public. Doesn’t the legislatures of North and South Carolina realize that we are called to help those in need.

I have done a lot of things wrong but I, knowingly, have never pressed that button to make it against the law to feed the poor in a public area. I think my finger would catch on fire.

I pray that people’s voting fingers catch on fire the next time they vote for anyone who voted for this law (those who take that safety net from the poorest of the poor).

I honestly believe Jesus looks down on our lawmakers and what they are doing to the poor and those of us who remain silent, and his heart breaks. Jesus not only wept at the death of a friend, I believe he weeps every time we ignore those in need.

Dear God, if there is anything that makes Jesus weep it is our blindness when the poor come around and we want to run them off rather than care for them. Lord, we need some help down here now… our government is going crazy. Touch our hearts and melt them… cause the scales to fall from our eyes till we can see the poor and take steps to help them in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Grace and Peace

Steve