Offer the World Jesus!

Our world has been rocked again with great tragedy. It does not make sense. Why? How could people be so filled?

Random acts of violence happen more than we ever wish. They happen more than we hear about. It seems that we are sensitive to them only when it rocks our world. It is then we begin to ask question. Many become theological. The questions sound like: "Why would God allow such things? Where is God? or Why would God do this?"

There are some people who think that all of the things that happen on this world are acts of God. I must confess that while this attitude seems to make life pretty much mapped out I find great difficulty in it. When a person commits suicide, God did it? Surely not! God was punishing this person? No! God was acting for good in the long run? This is not what biblical justice is about. What kind of a character would God be? When accidents happen in this world, God is at the hand? Absolutely not! Persons who keep this view usually see God mainly acting as a critical parent. Usually their own personal narratives have many critical parents in them.

It seems that God in the design of humanity gave us more than we sometimes want—free will. Free will is like all the rest of life's gifts. It can be used for good and creative purposes. Or it can be used for selfish purposes. A consequence of this freedom is illnesses that have been created by our world and our choices. Another consequence of this is evil. We allow evil to reign in our heart and minds. We make camp with bitterness and envy until our actions are so filled with things that are far from God's intention.

So while all this random act of violence happens, where is God? What is God doing? God is present. Although it seems that God is absent, God is not. God is there touching the hearts of those who hurt with God's eternal hope. God is present as John Wesley would say, "wooing us" to open our hearts and hands to the work of the Living Spirit. God is always inviting us to become hands of grace.

God is the one that is the source of random acts of kindness. God is the one that seeks to show us in our daily living how to live sacrificially and wholly given to extending compassion to others. God is the one who invites us to break camp with evil and bitterness and journey in grace and forgiveness. God is the one who take the streams of water that we have dammed up and creates living streams of rushing water that is fresh and capable of great power.

Many of us remember seeing a picture of Jesus standing at a door. The image of the human form of God is lit with the golden beam of a light that is shining in the dark. It seems as though it could be a front door of any home or cottage in the country side. The caption of the picture is "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Many persons have looked at this painting and failed to notice one significant thing in the painting. The door is not a common door. The door that Jesus is knocking at has no handle. The handle for the door is only on the other side of the door.

When our world is rocked, invited Jesus in! The answer God gives during these difficult times is God's presence and compassion. We can offer the world random acts of God's love.

Pray for me as I pray for you.

 

Dr. M. Jack O'Dell

Lead Pastor, The Well UMC