Blogs:

Services

Connections

Day1 Store

The Rev. Dr. Ozzie E. Smith, Jr., is pastor of Covenant United Church of Christ, South Holland, IL. He is also a trustee of the Alliance for Christian Media.

Member of:

United Church of Christ

Representative of:

Covenant United Church of Christ, South Holland, IL

Dr. Ozzie Smith on "More Unexpected Jesus"

July 22, 2009

The Rev. Dr. Ozzie Smith offers a response to this week's Day1 message, "More Unexpected Jesus" by the Rev. Sharon Hiers.

Amen Rev. Hiers! This message truly blessed me--it is full of the stuff that suddenly happens when one is looking for God with generous eyes. That experience in Quito with the atheist, the bread, the family, and the prayer is powerful!

Jesus is always showing up in unexpected places doing unexpected things. I believe that when we try to pigeon-hole Jesus, we miss him by a Christological mile. I believe David, in 2 Samuel 7:1-17, thought himself able to "expect" God in a cedar house only, but God sent a word through Nathan that this was not for David to do, but rather for his offspring. The point that David and we seem to miss is that wherever God is, God is still God--there is nothing we can build to help God out!

Rev. Hiers shares a powerful message that we all can hear and use these days--God is still speaking and working miracles in our lives. In the words of British hymnist William Cowper, "God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform." Thanks, Rev. Hiers, for a powerful Word! Thanks Day1 for the lift!

--Ozzie Smith

UPDATE from the Rev. Billy Cox:

This inspiring sermon by Rev. Hiers reminds me of three things. First, regardless of who we are and where we are, God is not done with us. Second, with an open mind and heart, the presence of "The Divine" can always make itself felt and known. And third, what we believe to be impossible, the ONE who is the source of the impossible can make it happen. It did with Will.

--Billy Cox