ODB: Mysterious Truth
Sometimes when the infinite God conveys His thoughts to finite man, mystery is the result. For example, there’s a profound verse in the book of Psalms that seems to present more questions than answers: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants” (116:15 niv).I shake my head and wonder how that can be. I see t
ODJ: live prepared
On a recent family trip, we were driving late at night through thickly wooded areas. A small bright gleam to the left captured our attention, and my husband quickly slowed the car as two deer leaped across our path. We took that teachable moment to explain to our children the power of peripheral vision—giving them insight to use one day when they’re behind the wheel.
Our spiritual journey ca
ODB: Stranded
Traveling by bus from Memphis, Tennessee, to St. Louis, Missouri, typically takes about 6 hours—unless the bus driver leaves you stranded at a gas station. This happened to 45 passengers aboard a bus who waited 8 hours overnight for a replacement driver after the original driver abandoned them. They must have felt frustrated by the delay, anxious about the outcome, and impatient for rescue.Josep
ODJ: opening up
Recently my wife and I had the privilege of speaking on Loving One Another at a marriage retreat. Attendees included couples of all ages—those who had been married just a year to a ‘golden’ duo who had spent 50 years together. That couple, Joe and Arlene, blessed the younger couples as they transparently revealed some of the struggles they had experienced in their marriage. They candidly ack
ODB: By Our Deeds
One night a clergyman was walking to church when a thief pulled a gun on him and demanded his money or his life. When he reached in his pocket to hand over his wallet, the robber saw his clerical collar and said: “I see you are a priest. Never mind, you can go.” The clergyman, surprised by the robber’s unexpected act of piety, offered him a candy bar. The robber said, “No thank you. I don
ODJ: all things new
Russian scientists recently discovered plant matter in the burrow of an Ice Age squirrel—stuff that had been frozen for thousands of years. They took the material to their laboratory, where they successfully regenerated a thriving Silene stenophylla plant. The scientists will continue to dig through the Siberian permafrost in hopes of finding frozen matter from other plants and animals. They wou
ODB: The Lesson
One summer I was at a gathering of old high school acquaintances when someone behind me tapped me on my shoulder. As my eyes drifted over the woman’s name tag, my mind drifted back in time. I remembered a tightly folded note that had been shoved through the slot on my locker. It had contained cruel words of rejection that had shamed me and crushed my spirit. I remember thinking, Somebody nee
ODJ: learning journey
It had been an exhilarating mission trip. Jesus had sent the disciples to go to the villages to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (Luke 9:1-6). Even though they brought neither bread nor money, God had provided. And He had worked through them.
Now Jesus was taking them away for a retreat. But a great crowd followed. The Lord welcomed them. He taught them about the kingdom of God and heale