“Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.” Psalm 105:5
I had lunch with a dear friend last week. We marveled that we first met almost thirty years ago in Germany and now have come full circle to live in the same area again. We both lamented about the aches and pains of getting older, and how much longer it takes to plan and complete tasks, and agreed that aging is not for the weak of heart. But we also recalled many wonderful memories we have shared over the years. Growing older indeed has its unique challenges and very few people age and escape the difficulties of aging but there are many blessings to maturing. Wisdom gained from life experiences is a blessing that is immeasurable and is a true gift from God. “For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest” (Proverbs 2:6). This verse assures us that any wisdom we obtain only comes from God and is not of our own doing. God ordains our past, present, and future. God can grant wisdom in many ways and allowing us to experience life with both good and bad consequences is one of His very effective teaching methods.
God’s providence and God’s faithfulness over our lives need to be the memories at the forefront of our minds. Only by looking back over our lives can we see the way He has led us, protected us, taught us, and allowed us to obtain wisdom. But why does God give us the gift of wisdom? One reason is so that we don’t continue to repeat the same mistakes and reap the same negative consequences over and over. But God’s primary reason for wisdom is so His faithfulness can be shared with others. He wants us to talk about our lives and memories, along with the stories of His remarkable deeds. “Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Dt 6:7). He doesn’t grant us fruitful periods or bring us through challenging times to just have something to talk about at a party, but so that we can recall His faithfulness during those times. He should be the main character in the movie of our lives when we replay it for our children, friends, neighbors, and strangers. The first verse of Psalm 105 commands us to give thanks and make known among the nations what He has done!
My friend talked about how pictures of my oldest daughter as a preschooler in Germany still adorn her home. I share those memories but I can also recall God’s faithfulness in bringing me a lifelong friend when I was a new mother and alone in a foreign country because my Army husband was deployed. I recall God blessing me with the wonders of experiencing Germany through the eyes of a German woman. I remember the nights when I was alone and sometimes frightened, God was my faithful constant companion.
Life is full of challenges and blessings. But God is faithful. He trumps all the tears and tragedies and He smiles along with us in the good times. He has the starring role in all our memories and He wants the stories to be passed from generation to generation. Think across the years of your life. Remember all the times God’s faithfulness and goodness saw you through hardships or granted you blessings. Consider His marvelous works and give Him praise. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.
The photo, taken in 1996 of Maya, Brooke and Pebbles outside our home in Dittelbrunn, Germany.