ODJ: the first witnesses

Who was the first group of people to be invited to see the Christ-child? Who was the first eyewitness of the resurrected Christ? On these two immensely important events, the birth and the resurrection of Jesus, we notice something interesting about God’s choice of witnesses—truly unlikely people. At the manger, we find shepherds; at the tomb, we meet some women. During Jesus’ d

ODB: The Lonely Season

Amid the pile of post-Christmas mail I discovered a treasure—a handmade Christmas card painted on repurposed cardstock. Simple watercolor strokes evoked a scene of wintry hills livened with evergreens. Centered at the bottom, framed by red-berried holly, was this hand-printed message:Peace be with you!The artist was a prisoner and a friend of mine. As I admired his handiwork, I real

ODJ: dead or alive?

I recently received news that the cancer I’ve been battling off and on for 12 years has returned for the fifth time. So now my wife and I are prayerfully considering treatment possibilities. The therapy employed last time included a bone marrow transplant. And now with that normally last line of defense crossed, my doctor tells me we’re in “uncharted territory.” My lymphoma

ODB: Is He Listening?

“Sometimes it feels as if God isn’t listening to me.” Those words, from a woman who tried to stay strong in her walk with God while coping with an alcoholic husband, echo the heartcry of many believers. For many years, she asked God to change her husband. Yet it never happened.What are we to think when we repeatedly ask God for something good—something that could easily glo

ODJ: stand, don’t fight

Cameron, a friend of mine, didn’t share my spiritual beliefs. He openly opposed Christianity and some of its moral tenets. One day in my previous workplace, he led a seminar on domestic violence and used it as a chance to bash the Bible. His “correlation” was illogical and inappropriate. The book that tells husbands to “love their wives as they love their own bodies”

ODB: All His Benefits

A recurring difficulty on our journey of life is becoming so focused on what we need at the moment that we forget what we already have. I was reminded of that when our church choir sang a beautiful anthem based on Psalm 103. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits” (v. 2 nkjv). The Lord is our forgiver, healer, r

ODJ: how can I help you?

Well-known seminary president Haddon Robinson was meeting with a wealthy donor to seek a sizable contribution. (I assume that it was for a ministry project.) When Robinson asked for a specific amount, the donor said something like this: “I was prepared to give you much more if you had asked.” My husband, Shawn, really likes this story because it reminds him to “come boldly to th

ODB: He Will Reply

I was elated when I came upon the Twitter page of my favorite Korean movie star, so I decided to drop her a note. I crafted the best message I could and waited for a reply. I knew it was unlikely I would receive a response. A celebrity like her would receive an enormous amount of fan mail every day. Still, I hoped she would reply. But I was disappointed.Thankfully, we know God responds to us. He i

ODJ: one more year

Happy New Year! Today marks the day that planet Earth has once again completed its annual orbit around the sun. Just how many times the earth has made its journey is anyone’s guess. But we do know the voyage is a long one—584 million miles, to be exact. The account of creation in the book of Genesis tells us some important things about the earth and its relationship to the su