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Friday, September 26, 2025
Harbor
in Saint
Michaels,
Maryland
Click on photo to enlarge "Worthless
Things" Message summary: Do you see the worthless things surrounding you today? Listen
to our message
on your audio
player. “Turn
my eyes away
from worthless
things” (Psalm
119:37). We
both grew up
in the Midwest
far from the
ocean. I saw
the ocean a
couple of
times in my
childhood,
both the
Atlantic and
Pacific. But
Brooksyne's
first ocean
sighting was
in her early
twenties
shortly after
we were
married. Somewhere
we have a
photo of us on
the beach that
was taken with
a timer long
before we
could have
imagined
selfies as we
know them now.
It was along
the Delaware
shore at
Bethany Beach
as I recall.
On
Wednesday we
were at St.
Michaels
Maryland along
the Chesapeake
Bay where I
saw on Google
maps there was
a "Sharps
Island
Lighthouse
Viewing Area"
on Tilghman
Island so we
headed off to
see it. We
crossed onto
the island via
drawbridge and
down to nearly
the end of the
island. After we arrived we saw a large parking area with a rather ugly tower that I assumed was the lighthouse. I pointed it out to Brooksyne and she was quite underwhelmed, as she responded "Really?!" We were both rather disappointed after making the 15 mile trek from Saint Michaels to see it. It sure didn't look like any lighthouse we had ever seen. Well,
it turns out I
hadn't
thoroughly
done my
homework. The
lighthouse was
actually off
the shore in
Chesapeake
Bay, but we
never saw it,
since we
assumed the
tower was the
lighthouse! So
the lighthouse
photo below is
not my photo
but rather
from Google
maps! It's
leaning due to
a condition
caused by an
ice flow in
1977. I wonder
how one's
equilibrium
would hold up
if assigned to
this
lighthouse for
any length of
time. Today's
attempt to get
a spiritual
lesson out of
our assumed
lighthouse
sighting may
admittedly be
a bit
convoluted. It
can be that
way for
preachers
having a story
(illustration)
to tell, a
good
illustration
in search of a
lesson! One
of our area's
very large
churches will
have a special
service a week
from Sunday
where they
will feature a
horse and a
"horse-whisperer".
The last two
days we have
spoken to
different
people excited
about the
service and it
does sound
interesting.
But the
question is,
what will this
illustrate?
Brooksyne has
suggested
something to
do with the
scripture: "If
we put bits
into the
mouths of
horses so that
they obey us,
we guide their
whole bodies
as well" (James
3:3). Several weeks ago we had Jack and Chris over for a visit. They were members of the church we served in Saint Marys, PA over 30 years ago and they recalled several of my creative sermon illustrations from that age. I guess they were memorable but neither of us could recall the theme of what I was illustrating!* Now,
our assumed
lighthouse was
not worthless.
It had some
function as a
lookout tower
during the
Second World
War and
according to
the sign is
still used by
the Navy. But
it certainly
was never
intended to be
a lighthouse.
We
are all
capable of
turning our
eyes to that
which is at
best
comparatively
worthless
compared to
Christ.
Consider the
first daily
verse as a
personal
prayer: “Turn
my eyes away
from worthless
things". The
Psalmist was
wise in
identifying
one of the
ways we are
distracted
from those
things that
are most
important.
Are there
worthless
things that
beckon your
attention
today. Redeem
the time and
use it wisely
by sorting out
that which is
worthless from
that which is
worthwhile.
Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13 Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" Watch on YouTube The Glorious Christ Live *
I most
certainly was
illustrating
something
whenever I
used an
illustration
and now recall
the same
phenomenon as
mostly a
listener of
remembering
the
illustration
more than the
point. Some
time back our
pastor
illustrated
something by
explaining his
personal
annoyance at
people who
don't take
their shopping
carts back at
a parking lot
like Costco. I
don't recall
what he was
illustrating
but now
whenever we
see an
abandoned
shopping cart
in a parking
lot we look at
each other and
say "Beau (our
pastor's name)
wouldn't like
that".
Brooksyne is
more prompted
to chase down
a stray cart
than I, but
I'm sure those
who are hired
to gather
carts are glad
for any who go
after the
abandoned
carts. To
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