A Peculiar Lens

Overview: Two hundred-plus devotionals meant to inspire and encourage Christian believers. Author Rich Martin draws from history, science, the news, and everyday life to illustrate the relevance and power of scripture. Perceptive, carefully researched, and occasionally quirky, A Peculiar Lens offers ministers and Sunday School teachers an abundance of insights to share with others.

Author: Rich has ministered for 5+ years and taught junior high/high school English for 20+ years. He holds a MA in English.

From the Introduction: I was first prescribed glasses when I was 12. At that time, I needed them to help me see far (and at 46, I need them to help me see near, too). However, as a teenager, I also received another pair of glasses with which my optometrist had no involvement. At 14, I surrendered my life to Christ and became a born-again believer. Immediately, the world started to look different. God gifted me, as He does all His children, a new set of lenses through which to see things as they are: God's granduer demonstrated through His creation, the power of His love, the ugliness of sin, His purpose for mankind, the preciousness of each soul, and our duty to share His Word. The more I read scripture and grew in my relationship with my heavenly Father, the more I couldn't help but see how everything relates, in one way or another, back to Him and His Word.

Regarding the church, 1 Peter 2:9 explains, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." This verse inspired my choice of "peculiar" in describing the biblical lens. In our modern vernacular, peculiar means odd, unusual, and distinctive. Certainly, a God-inspired view of life matches these criteria when contrasted with prevailing secular perspectives. However, in the English of King James, peculiar meant to belong especially to one person. Thus, the NIV renders "a peculiar people" as "God's special possession." Perhaps the use of peculiar to characterize the biblical lens works on this level as well. The lens of truth, light, and love through which the Christian views existence belongs especially to God. One can only obtain this lens through His grace.

The two hundred or so devotionals that follow are exercises in employing His peculiar lens. Sometimes these attempts proved successful. Other times, they may have turned out clumsy. I'll let you be the judge. For better or worse, I hope that this volume will encourage you to use God's peculiar lens to connect all we see to His glory and goodness. Please feel free to borrow any of the ideas contained in this volume for Sunday School lessons or sermons.