Sterling Griggs

This morning I sat down to read in my Bible and opened up to Revelation 21:1-5. Here's what is said: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven had passed away, and he sea existed no longer. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God's dwelling is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will exist no longer; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. Then the One seated on the throne said, "Look! I am making everything new!"  After I read those words I closed my eyes, trying to soak in the picture that they painted. Later in the chapter there is a grand description of heaven complete with gates of pearl and gold and precious stones everywh...

Yesterday we as Americans observed and celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who, if he was still alive today, would have turned 84 on January 15. The kids were out of school and my six year-old son in particular was full of questions about who Dr. King was and what he did. When I was a student at Wake Forest University from 1988-1992, I took a few courses in racial and ethnic studies, including a course specifically on the Civil Rights Movement. These classes were filled with the history and stories of men like Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and other Civil Rights visionaries who struggled for racial equality that, today, seems like a no brainer to most. Yet as my son asked me questions I realized that I didn't really think all that much about the struggles that occurred among my black brothers and sisters during the 1950's and 1960's (and yes, I know that race issues are still alive and well today, but that period is the epicenter of the movement and the change...

As I've been reading through the Old Testament book of Job a whole slew of questions come to mind about the meaning of this book. I've heard many say it's a survival story, chronicling the ability to Job to survive tests that God allows to be put in his way. That kind of makes sense when you consider that Job's "friends" are constantly dogging him along the way, making his circumstances even more miserable than they already are. Job protests his innocence while they convict him for perceived crimes. Yet as I was reading this morning, I was struck with what I see as a bit of a duality in the book of Job. On the one hand, Job and his friends are spot on when it comes to their assessment of the character of God - His goodness and patience and unknowable ways. They cast God in the highest light possible, which is admirable on their part. But the flip side of their words are where things get muddled. Job insists that he is innocent and righteous while his friend...

It is the morning of January 14 and I am sitting in a chair on the beach. Some freakishly awesome weather system has descended upon the North Carolina coast for the past few days, teasing us with spring like weather. Knowing that it will probably turn cool again in the next few days, I had to take advantage of every possible moment I could get outside. Living on the Atlantic coast is probably not the same as living in other coastal regions in other parts of the world. Right now I am observing mini-waves on what is otherwise known as Lake Atlantic. But while the sea is calm and passive today, I still cannot see where it begins or ends. It is massive in it's expanse and it still sends waves crashing to the shore whenever it pleases. As I sit and contemplate this mighty ocean I am simply blown away at the majesty of God, the Creator of not just the ocean but the universe and all that is in it. Consider these words from Psalm 95:3-5: For the Lord is a great God, a great King ...

There is a stack of bills on my kitchen counter that never seem to go away. Hardly a week passes when one of my kids doesn't need something for school that necessitates a trip to the store. How in the world did those shoes or pants fit them last week but today they are way too small? Our 2000 Honda Accord and 2004 Nissan minivan are still kickin' it, but for how much longer we don't know. While this may sound like I'm complaining a little, it's actually my attempt to remind myself that I am not in control of most things in my life. I can't keep my kids from growing up and having needs, there is no way I can stop the hands of time when it comes to our cars, and unless I flee the country these bills are going to have to get paid. My wife and I work hard to make sure we are responsible in these areas, but ultimately we know that our provision comes from elsewhere. Lately I've had my mind assaulted by two passages of Scripture that are wonderful and humblin...

I had the chance to spend a couple of hours with Austin Macemore today and I am the better for it. If you didn't already know, Austin's medical condition is pretty serious. Cancer is fighting to claim more ground in his body but Austin - and the thousands whose lives he has touched - are putting up a pretty good fight of their own. You can understand Austin fighting the cancer that is waging war against him, but how do others fight something that isn't physically affecting them? The answer is simple: Nobody is giving up. People are praying earnestly, friends are spending time recalling fun memories of Austin (of which there are millions), and pictures of Austin are showing up all over Facebook. He's even got his own special "Friends of Austin" Facebook page. Now, let's be very candid about all of this. Cancer is nasty and it's taking a toll on Austin. Things are not going all that well but that doesn't mean that there is no hope. In fact, noth...

Since the weather yesterday was anything but hospitable to outside activities, our Netflix account got quite a workout. If you have Netflix you understand how wonderful it can be and you also know just how old it can get after awhile. It's not that there aren't enough movies and TV shows to choose from - it's more a matter of quality vs. quantity. So last night as we hunkered down to find something new to watch, I scanned through the listings of documentaries and stumbled across one that I found intriguing. The movie title was simple enough: Happy . Combining scientific and real-life stories, this movie attempts to chronicle what it is that makes people truly happy. Not surprisingly, money and success were not found to be huge indicators of happiness. As the film progressed, a laundry list of reasons for happiness were articulated from a variety of different perspectives: flow and rhythm of life, quality relationships, being involved in activities that contribute to the ...