ODB: Of Prayer and Dust and Stars

Lara and Dave desperately wanted a baby, but their physician told them they were unable to have one. Lara confided to a friend: “I found myself having some very honest talks with God.” But it was after one of those “talks” that she and Dave spoke to their pastor, who told them about an adoption ministry at their church. A year later they were blessed with an adopted baby bo

ODB: God Carries Us

In 2019, Hurricane Dorian overwhelmed the islands of the Bahamas with intense rain, wind, and flooding—the worst natural disaster in the country’s history. As he sheltered at home with his adult son who has cerebral palsy, Brent knew they needed to leave. Even though Brent is blind, he had to save his son. Tenderly, he placed him over his shoulders and stepped into chin-

Resist Slothfulness

Before we return to Solomon's proverbs, we have five more sayings from the ″wise″ (Proverbs 24:23-34). They are possibly adapted from ancient Egyptian wisdom writing, though scholars remain unsure. The theme running through these sayings is a well-ordered society that promotes justice and truthfulness. These are attributes of God himself and are reflected in His creation, where wisdom ensures order in place of chaos (8:30).

ODB: The Greatest Symphony

When BBC Music Magazine asked one hundred fifty-one of the world’s leading conductors to list twenty of what they believed to be the greatest symphonies ever written, Beethoven’s Third, Eroica, came out on top. The work, whose title means “heroic,” was written during the turmoil of the French Revolution. But it also came out of Beethoven’s own strugg

Take A Long-Term View Of Injustice

The atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell once observed that most people would rather die than think-and that most people do!

ODB: Seeking God’s Help

For five years in the late 1800s, grasshoppers descended on Minnesota, destroying the crops. Farmers tried trapping the grasshoppers in tar and burning their fields to kill the eggs. Feeling desperate, and on the brink of starvation, many people sought a statewide day of prayer, yearning to seek God’s help together. The governor relented, setting aside April 26 to pray.In the days after the

30 Sayings That Lead To Wisdom

The ″Thirty sayings of the wise″, were not written by Solomon himself, and scholars are divided over their source. Because of some similarity to an ancient Egyptian work, some believe that Solomon adapted them, but others differ.

ODB: Authentic Christianity

I applied for a position in a Christian organization years ago and was presented with a list of legalistic rules having to do with the use of alcohol, tobacco, and certain forms of entertainment. “We expect Christian behavior from our employees” was the explanation. I could agree with this list because I, for reasons mostly unrelated to my faith, didn’t do those things. But my ar

Life Isn’t About Following A Formula

The book of Job shows what happens when a formula is applied rigidly and insensitively to life. According to Job's friends, he must have been suffering because he had sinned. This was based on the supposed principle that sin always leads to punishment and righteousness to blessing.