It is the job promotion that you deserved.
It is the dream that you have always dreamed. You know it will never happen.
It is the friend that chose to do the unthinkable.
It is a broken marriage, a broken vow.
It is the agony of watching our teenage and adult children go astray.
It is a common human experience. Disappointment.
How Jesus knew the feeling of disappointment. He wanted his disciples to see the kingdom moments--they didn't. Jesus wanted love to permeate the world around him--it did not. Jesus wanted people to follow him. They just did not get it.
At one point Jesus is looking over the city of Jerusalem and he weeps. How he longs for an intimacy with those around him. How Jesus longs for the world to know the love of God.
Some of us allow disappointment to become rivers of bitterness. Others use disappointment to create distance and build walls. While still others create disappointments with expectations that can never be met.
Disappointments in life are God moments. They are moments of creation. They are the way in which God invites us to depend upon God's mercy and grace. Disappointments are when we have to rely on God.
Maybe during this season of Lent, it is time for you to let God work through your disappointments. Out of the worst moments of life, God does God's best work. Joy comes in the morning!
Pray for me as I pray for you.
In the Master's Name,
Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
www.thewellumc.com
www.midweekmanna.com
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Temptations
Sticky Cinnamon Rolls. Hot Apple Pie with Ice Cream. Fresh Strawberries with whipped cream on a Vanilla Pound cake. Hot Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Do I have your attention?
There are some things in life that get our attention more than we want to admit. Notice that I stayed in the "safe zone" of temptation. There are other areas that tempt me much more. But we will not go there!
Did you ever really read the temptation of Jesus? Now some of you discount it automatically because you think Jesus had the divinity card which exempted him from all of it. Not true. Jesus knew what it was like to have your mouth watered with temptation.
But he was ready. The tempter came after Jesus had experienced the height of hearing God's voice at his baptism and at the lowest point of his human thirst. It was there that the tempter offered him bread of this world, power, and the game of "let's see what God will do...."
Temptation is so personal. Some of you read the opening paragraph and said, "So?" Others of you headed for the kitchen or the restaurant immediately. Sounded like I needed company, so you said, "I'll join ya!"
I am wondering if you and I can face another temptation during this season of Lent. Can we be tempted to do good? Can we be tempted to be God's children? John Wesley used the idea of God "wooing" us towards the kingdom to talk about even being perfected in Christian love. He believed that love could tempted us to grow in the faith because of its power.
The objects of temptation are rarely bad in themselves. Usually it is where they lead us that is the problem. The beauty of another human being can lead us away from covenants. The lure of power and prestige can lead us into pride and arrogance. The taste of being full can lead us into destroying the health of our bodies.
Tempt yourself to be in love with God. Tempt yourself into sacrificing yourself for others.
Make Lent a holy season.
Pray for me as I pray for you.
In the Master's Name,
Rev. Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
http://www.thewellumc.com/
http://www.midweekmanna.com/
Do I have your attention?
There are some things in life that get our attention more than we want to admit. Notice that I stayed in the "safe zone" of temptation. There are other areas that tempt me much more. But we will not go there!
Did you ever really read the temptation of Jesus? Now some of you discount it automatically because you think Jesus had the divinity card which exempted him from all of it. Not true. Jesus knew what it was like to have your mouth watered with temptation.
But he was ready. The tempter came after Jesus had experienced the height of hearing God's voice at his baptism and at the lowest point of his human thirst. It was there that the tempter offered him bread of this world, power, and the game of "let's see what God will do...."
Temptation is so personal. Some of you read the opening paragraph and said, "So?" Others of you headed for the kitchen or the restaurant immediately. Sounded like I needed company, so you said, "I'll join ya!"
I am wondering if you and I can face another temptation during this season of Lent. Can we be tempted to do good? Can we be tempted to be God's children? John Wesley used the idea of God "wooing" us towards the kingdom to talk about even being perfected in Christian love. He believed that love could tempted us to grow in the faith because of its power.
The objects of temptation are rarely bad in themselves. Usually it is where they lead us that is the problem. The beauty of another human being can lead us away from covenants. The lure of power and prestige can lead us into pride and arrogance. The taste of being full can lead us into destroying the health of our bodies.
Tempt yourself to be in love with God. Tempt yourself into sacrificing yourself for others.
Make Lent a holy season.
Pray for me as I pray for you.
In the Master's Name,
Rev. Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
http://www.thewellumc.com/
http://www.midweekmanna.com/
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The REAL Celebrations in Life
The countdown has begun. Probably you are unaware that it even began. It comes so quietly. However at the very end it gets extremely loud.
Sin is like that. Most of us do not even like to talk about sin unless it is someone else's. I am amazed at the magazines and Hollywood shows that just love to throw people's sin out like it is a morning paper. Who has done what to whom? Where someone is or is not in treatment. There is a segment of society that is infatuated with sin.
Most of us do not know what sin really is. Some of us remember some preacher telling us how bad it was and where we are going if we do not get rid of it. And then, we found that the problem with sin is that it really not feel that bad--at least most of the time. Truth be told, it feels pretty good. Whoever said that it would just go away in our life does not know sin like I do. It is pretty constant--more constant than I want to admit. It is a battle.
Right before Lent begins, (that is the countdown in case you were still wondering) we have Mardi Gras. It is the time when we consume and party. Some of us consume more and party more. And then there are the party animals and the consumption rhinos(you know who you are) Rabid consumption and and partying leads to sin--separation from God. By now many of you are questioning my credentials. Is this guy a preacher or what? Go figure.
Ash Wednesday, the day after Fat Tuesday, is the day we realize that we are human. As the ashes are put on your forehead, you hear the words, "From ashes you came to ashes you will return." It is the day that we confront ourselves with our sinfulness and our selfishness. It is the day we begin to examine just how harmful consumption and partying in our life can be. It is looking behind us and seeing the trail of brokenness in our life. It is God's way of inviting us to live more for others than ourselves.
Have you noticed that the real heroes of our world seem to do this? No one remembers the guy or gal who chugged the most beers or stayed out partying the longest. Heck, they do not even remember it. But our world does recognize those who are compassionate, feeding the poor, and sacrifice their life to change the world. And they remember it as well.
The Mardi Gras beads fade fast. The cross stays with us into eternity. And yes, our sin can disappear. God frees us everyday from our sins of yesterday. God invites us to be changed each day. God gives us a life of freedom from sin into eternity. Now THAT is the REAL party-- a celebration.
Rev. Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
www.thewellumc.com
www.midweekmanna.com
Sin is like that. Most of us do not even like to talk about sin unless it is someone else's. I am amazed at the magazines and Hollywood shows that just love to throw people's sin out like it is a morning paper. Who has done what to whom? Where someone is or is not in treatment. There is a segment of society that is infatuated with sin.
Most of us do not know what sin really is. Some of us remember some preacher telling us how bad it was and where we are going if we do not get rid of it. And then, we found that the problem with sin is that it really not feel that bad--at least most of the time. Truth be told, it feels pretty good. Whoever said that it would just go away in our life does not know sin like I do. It is pretty constant--more constant than I want to admit. It is a battle.
Right before Lent begins, (that is the countdown in case you were still wondering) we have Mardi Gras. It is the time when we consume and party. Some of us consume more and party more. And then there are the party animals and the consumption rhinos(you know who you are) Rabid consumption and and partying leads to sin--separation from God. By now many of you are questioning my credentials. Is this guy a preacher or what? Go figure.
Ash Wednesday, the day after Fat Tuesday, is the day we realize that we are human. As the ashes are put on your forehead, you hear the words, "From ashes you came to ashes you will return." It is the day that we confront ourselves with our sinfulness and our selfishness. It is the day we begin to examine just how harmful consumption and partying in our life can be. It is looking behind us and seeing the trail of brokenness in our life. It is God's way of inviting us to live more for others than ourselves.
Have you noticed that the real heroes of our world seem to do this? No one remembers the guy or gal who chugged the most beers or stayed out partying the longest. Heck, they do not even remember it. But our world does recognize those who are compassionate, feeding the poor, and sacrifice their life to change the world. And they remember it as well.
The Mardi Gras beads fade fast. The cross stays with us into eternity. And yes, our sin can disappear. God frees us everyday from our sins of yesterday. God invites us to be changed each day. God gives us a life of freedom from sin into eternity. Now THAT is the REAL party-- a celebration.
Rev. Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
www.thewellumc.com
www.midweekmanna.com
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Who would have thought?
I think in the Kingdom of Heaven there is a room that has this written on the door, "Room of Unclaimed Blessings". It is a room filled with blessings that God was ready to give to us if we had only sought after them. These blessings were our destiny undiscovered. Undiscovered for many reasons.
Who would have thought that an old man would be the father of the Hebrew nation?
Who would have thought that a young man full of a sense of justice who murdered someone would be the one that would lead the people of God out of bondage?
who woul dhave that a shepherd boy who loved to play music and even dance, would slay the giant and become the great king of Israel?
Who would have thought that the son of a carpenter and a teenage girl would be the Savior of the world?
Who would have ever thought that fhsermen would drop their nets and follow a carpenter preacher and that one of them would be the rock that th church would be built upon?
Who would have ever dreamed that a legalist Jewish perscutor of early Christians would write most of the New Testament?
You see, our world is filled with possibilities that God has placed before us if we would only claim them. It is our destiny.
Simon Birch was a strange little boy who kept telling everyone that he knew he was pout on this earth for a special purpose. Those who met him mocked him. They told him he was dreaming. Then one day, when the bus filled with chileren went into the river, Simon Birch claimed his destiny.
Who would have thought what in your life? in your world? What has God put before you to claim this day?
Who would have thought that the Saints could....and would....or will they?
Pray for me as I pray for you.
In the Master's Name,
Rev. Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
www.thewellumc.com
www.midweekmanna.com
Who would have thought that an old man would be the father of the Hebrew nation?
Who would have thought that a young man full of a sense of justice who murdered someone would be the one that would lead the people of God out of bondage?
who woul dhave that a shepherd boy who loved to play music and even dance, would slay the giant and become the great king of Israel?
Who would have thought that the son of a carpenter and a teenage girl would be the Savior of the world?
Who would have ever thought that fhsermen would drop their nets and follow a carpenter preacher and that one of them would be the rock that th church would be built upon?
Who would have ever dreamed that a legalist Jewish perscutor of early Christians would write most of the New Testament?
You see, our world is filled with possibilities that God has placed before us if we would only claim them. It is our destiny.
Simon Birch was a strange little boy who kept telling everyone that he knew he was pout on this earth for a special purpose. Those who met him mocked him. They told him he was dreaming. Then one day, when the bus filled with chileren went into the river, Simon Birch claimed his destiny.
Who would have thought what in your life? in your world? What has God put before you to claim this day?
Who would have thought that the Saints could....and would....or will they?
Pray for me as I pray for you.
In the Master's Name,
Rev. Dr. M. Jack O'Dell
www.thewellumc.com
www.midweekmanna.com
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