Martyn’s response.

When I was growing up [in England] I had a friend called Martyn. On the surface of things we had little in common; he was outrageously out going while I was cripplingly introverted, but we shared a similar appreciation of movies.

While, after some deliberation, I decided that it would be worth while giving my life to Christ, Martyn hesitated. He always said [with a playful smile],”I want to party first, then I’ll become a Christian.” I always thought that his response was based upon some misguided priorities or ideas that God did not allow fun. Instead I now realise that he did not want to respond to Jesus’ call to “follow me” because he under no false illusions as to the seriousness of this commitment. In his denial he had a deeper appreciation of the cost of discipleship than I did! He had come to realise that when he gave in to Jesus he would have to live by Christ’s priorities and not his.

Years later Martyn did give his life to Christ and gave it all. It happened when, despite not being a Christian, he joined a group of Christian friends on a short term mission trip to an African orphanage. It was her that he realised his heart for these children was the same as God’s, and so why should he keep his heart from god any longer. He returned home changed; completely changed. The same outrageously vibrant man took a year out before university to help on further mission trips, some of them independently organised as God led him. He held nothing back from God, he said that he would follow Jesus and that naturally consumed him. Jesus is not looking for a half-hearted army; He is looking for a people wholehearted in love with him and therefore willing to take his priorities.
Martyn was only in his early 20s but is now with God in glory, shining far more brightly than he ever did here; he is now with his Lord that passionately shared through the way he loved. He went home after being involved in a tragic car accident along with his older brother and two friends while on holiday in Australia.

Martyn’s life seemed to echo Paul’s very words, “For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity].” Phil 1:21 (Amp)