Tuesday Tidbits

It was a typical trip to the grocery store with my mind checking and double checking my long list while the radio played a bit too loudly. As the music from one of my favorite Christian stations ended the hosts came on air and asked the audience to call in with responses to the question, “Do you think prayer works and how?” They went on to discuss the findings from data collected in April 2020 by George Barna, Director of Research of the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. The radio host zoned in on one particular finding that sparked the question to the listening audience. The survey revealed that “Among the seven out of ten American adults who consider themselves to be Christian, three out of four (76%) believe that God hears prayers. However, there is a range of ideas concerning how God responds to the prayers He hears.” The first shocker was that twenty-four percent of praying Christians don’t believe God hears their prayers. The Lord says in Jeremiah 29:12, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.” This comforting scripture is just one of the many that assures us that God most definitely hears our prayers. The second jarring response was that “a surprisingly large share of people who pray (14%) admitted that they don’t know if God responds to peoples’ prayers or, if He does, how He responds. The short rebuttal to this finding is yes, He responds but discerning how He responds requires a deeper understanding of the character of God. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that He hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15) The answer can be a variation of “yes” or “no” or “wait, not now”. We are not all knowing and it is important to remember God is and His answers are born out of His love for us and sometimes the answer “no” or “wait” is for our own protection or providence. We must trust that whatever the response to our prayer is, it will be the best possible solution for our lives or the lives of those we are praying for. I surmise that the 14% that question their belief in prayer have a limited understanding of who God is. The hinge is not really about believing in prayer, it’s about believing and trusting God.

Shortly before Kelsey was to begin chemotherapy, my husband’s Greek Orthodox co-worker, sent her name and details of her condition to his friend, Omiros, in Thessaloniki, Greece. Omiros in turn talked with some monk friends in Mount Athos, Greece, to ask for pray for Kelsey and our family. He sent a letter filled with hope and confidence for Kelsey’s healing, along with several orthodox items. In his letter he wrote, “You should absolutely trust God and you must feel this in your prayer. Be sure that God listens to the least we tell Him. A Greek female monk said, “Life is a canvas work. We people see the back side, where the floss is very ugly, but as the years go by and we see the front side, we admire its beauty.” Just today, (don’t you love how God works!) Clay’s co-worker called because Omiros wanted an update on Kelsey. The monks have been praying for fifteen years. We were delighted and humbled to share the Lord’s response to the prayers of many. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit. (the picture is of Mount Athos, Greece-home to several monasteries)

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”  John 5:7

The fifth chapter of John’s gospel finds Jesus returning to Jerusalem for a Jewish festival after performing His second miracle while in Galilee. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie-the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. (John 5:1-3) The scripture goes on to tell us that Jesus saw a man that had been an invalid for thirty-eight years lying by the pool. When Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed, his reply was the complaint recorded in verse seven. He never really answered Jesus’s question but in spite of himself Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (John 5:5-9) This account usually focuses on the miracle, that it occurred on the Sabbath and the subsequent consequences for Christ performing a miracle on the Sabbath.

But for this tidbit, I want to focus on the cultural context of the Pool and the often overlooked word “stirred”. Archeologists have discovered there were actually two pools. The lower pool was used as a Jewish mikveh (ritual purification bath) and the upper pool was a reservoir of clean water that supplied the lower pool. But before that, the Romans had built a large temple on the site to the god Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine. The Greeks built Asklepions or healing centers all over the Greek empire. The ill and disabled would congregate at these centers, drink and bathe in the waters and sleep inside the temple walls. People seeking healing would wait by the water, waiting for Asclepius or one of his helpful “serpent spirits” to churn the water. They believed this was the best time for a healing miracle was when the water was “stirred”. The Greek word for “stirred” has several meanings but the context in this verse means disturbed, terrified, frightened, confusion, thrown into a turmoil and this context is only found once in the scriptures. (NIV Exhaustive Concordance) Some versions of this scripture attribute the stirring of the water to an angel. And while the people seeking healing believed this superstition, it’s important to realize Jesus never confirmed it and from the meaning of the word “stirred” it was most certainly not an angel of our Lord. Jesus had walked into a place filled with Jews practicing pagan rituals and confronted a longstanding cultural trend. It wasn’t just another day at the baths or another miraculous healing. Jesus was making the claim that He was the only true source of healing-He was the source of “living water” in a place and to a people clinging to a culturally accepted pagan belief.

At some point in our lives, we all are in need of healing. Whether it is physical, emotional or spiritual. Do you sit by the waters of the culturally accepted Dr. Google, prideful intellect or opinions of family and friends before seeking God? I know I am guilty and those sources can definitely stir up confusion, fear and anxiety. Instead, when we congregate at the feet of the Healer we can get up and “walk” in peace and drink the only “Living Water” that redeems our health and well-being. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.        

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each other.” Col 4:6

Salt is sprinkled throughout the pages of the Bible. Depending on the account, salt can have a different symbolic representation across different portions of scripture. It has negative connotations as when Lot’s wife looked back for a forbidden glance and is transformed into a pillar of salt (Gen 19:12-29) or as in Jeremiah 17 where the Lord curses the one who trusts in man and declares he will live in a salt land where no one lives. But usually salt is portrayed in a more positive light. Salt symbolizes new beginnings; salt covenants were made between the Jews and the Lord. It causes thirst; can you really eat popcorn without something to drink? It is a seasoning; it makes food more palatable. It is an irritant with healing and purifying properties; it smarts a bit when that scuffed toe makes it’s first dip in the ocean but feels much better afterwards.  It’s a preservative; country ham would not exist without salt.

In 2Kings 2:19-21, Elisha has been called to help with the bad water of Jericho. The story of the walls of Jericho get a lot more press and similarly a lot more time during a Holy Land tour but this simple, short story holds a great deal of symbolism for us to ponder. Jericho had been under a curse since the time of Joshua and while it was a lovely place to live, the water was bad and the land produced no fruit due to the lack of good water. The correlation between Jericho and our world today can be drawn. The world is full of all the tangible resources that make our lives pleasurable. Water in the Bible is often a symbol of the Word, the Spirit and even of life. But when the water is bad the opposite holds true, the Word is polluted, the Spirit is stagnant and death is inevitable.  Elisha asked for a new jar with salt in it (vs 20). He didn’t request just any ol’ jar laying around, but a new jar. Some commentaries say this could represent a new, regenerated believer, a new creation in Christ. Salt was the mechanism God used to heal the water. Christ purified us through His death, he heals our wounds, and as we feast more on His Word we thirst for more of Him in our lives.

“Then he went to the spring and threw the salt into it saying, “This is what the Lord says: I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive. And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken” (vs 21-22). God’s power worked through Elisha. It’s important to realize it was not the salt or Elisha but God that healed the water and it was a witness for all to see then and generations to come. In the same way, we are to live an authentic Christian life, well-seasoned with Christ, revealing for all to see and hear the new creation of Christ in us. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.

The pictures are from my recent trip to Israel. The spring is still there for all to see and taste!

This is what the Lord says, “Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No! There is no other Rock; I know not one”. Isaiah 44:8

The first time I saw the ocean, I was eighteen years old and it was Daytona Beach, Florida. I found the ocean breath taking. Growing up in the Shenandoah Mountains, the ocean was a whole new world. Until recent years, my beach days since then have mostly been spent in the warm, clear, turquoise blue waters of the Gulf Coast. My family loves visiting the calm waters of the Gulf. As the girls were growing up they would sit and play at the water’s edge for hours. We tried several East Coast beaches a few times but most attempts at a new beach ended prematurely. The main complaint was that the water was “too hard,” kid speech for strong waves. While some people go to the beach for the waves, our family was used to the serene, lapping Gulf waters.

We recently visited one of our new favorite beaches. The beaches of the southern North Carolina coast are very different than the Gulf but no less beautiful in their own distinct way. The coastline in some areas have rugged rock formations only visible when the tide is low. Standing at the ocean’s edge in the areas without the rocks, the water can be “too hard.” The waves can hit with enough force to knock one off balance. But when standing on the rocks, the water gently rolls towards the shore and softly caresses the toes. The force of the waves is broken by the rocks. It’s a tangible reminder of how Jesus is our Rock.

David praised God for being his stronghold, deliverance, protection, and promoter. “I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalms 18:1-2). When we trust in Him, we find strength, courage and hope in His strength and the shelter of His love. Just like the ocean’s rock ledge provides shelter from the force of the waves, our Lord, our Rock can shield us from the waves of life. When we rely on Him instead of our own strengths or other sources, the waves of fear, anxiety and sorrow that come will be absorbed by His strength and His love. Instead of hitting us full force and knocking us down, we can stand on our Rock during those times, face them knowing we will find refuge in Him and stand strong. Consider Psalms 18:31 today, “Who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?” And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.   

“And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases Him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.” 1 John 5: 14-15

We all have those memories in the recesses of our minds that even when the smallest of triggers occur they jump to the forefront of our thoughts in vivid color. One such memory for me happened not long after Kelsey was diagnosed with brain and spinal cord tumors. One of the predominant characteristics of a child with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 is delayed development and learning difficulties. Post diagnosis, Kelsey’s medical record was scanned for evidence of developmental delays or pediatric milestones not achieved. To the surprise of every doctor, but not to me, she did not appear to have met that particular criteria of NF 1. But just to make sure she had to undergo a cognitive evaluation. I can still vividly remember the room and the specialist that conducted the evaluation. The office was in a small building on the Walter Reed campus. It was dark and cramped and it smelled like old books. All the furniture was child size with the exception of the evaluator’s desk and one of those pint size chairs was where I sat for over two hours as I watched the specialist use different assessment tools for Kelsey’s exam. When the testing was finished, Kelsey sat at a table in the corner with a coloring sheet to keep her occupied and the specialist briefed me on her findings. Kelsey’s scores put her in the lower third percentile as compared to her peers of the same age, but she still achieved all the markers, unusual for an NF child.  She went on to say because of Kelsey’s vision deficient and the effects the chemo and tumors would have on her brain function, her prevision for Kelsey’s academic future was grim. All of a sudden, the small room became suffocating. The stuffy paper smell was nauseating and the darkness was overwhelming. At this point in Kelsey’s journey, we were praying she would survive her first round of chemo. In spite of tumors and chemo, we still had hopes and dreams for Kelsey’s future but the small lady with glasses sitting in front of me was suggesting we set all those dreams aside based on her tests. I remember walking out of the building with blinding tears of determination and believing that God would answer our prayers and she would someday not just finish high school but go to college and graduate.

Kelsey has been surrounded by prayer warriors her entire life. Our family will be eternally grateful for the many prayers laid at the feet of our Lord on Kelsey’s behalf.  Some prayers have been answered quickly and others not so quickly. The prayers for academic achievement and college graduation have finally been answered. She worked hard and she did it! She was blessed with gifted, patient, dedicated tutors, teachers and school counselors along her academic path but I give all the praise and glory to God and humbly give thanks for her prayer warriors. God brought the right people along the way to support and pray for Kelsey. Doctors and specialists predicted a grim academic future but God hears our prayers. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.              

“…and are justified freely by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24

While in the quarantine hotel, one of the limited amenities was a working television.  There were very few channels and only two of those were in English. One was a news network and the other was “E” TV.  I am happy to report that I now know everything there is to know about the Kardashians and I can tell you which wedding dress styles are trending. “Say Yes to the Dress” and “Keeping up with the Kardashians” would air over and over during our eight days. As I watched the wedding dress drama unfold day after day, I recalled in silence my personal, rather sad wedding dress drama. Because I married an active duty Army man, I decided to make the investment to have my wedding dress professionally preserved. As we moved around the world, the goal was to keep the dress as pristine as the day I wore it. When the containers that held most of our meager, earthly possessions arrived in Germany it was an exciting day. But the excitement soon turned to tears as the wet, mangled boxes and furniture were downloaded onto the sidewalk. The crates had been dropped in water, somehow, somewhere along the journey and most everything was destroyed or badly broken.

This weekend my sisters and I started the arduous task of cleaning out our mother’s house to prepare it for sell. We took many trips down memory lane as closets and drawers were emptied. A closet in a seldom used room was part of the mission. Along with a decaying fur coat, the closet yielded a large box. We wondered aloud what could be in the box that was creating quite a struggle for my sister. As we turned it right side up, we saw my wedding dress through the box window in pristine condition! I stared at it in unbelief.  For almost thirty years, I thought my dress had been destroyed and forever lost. I have no memory of bringing the dress to my mother’s house after the preservation and certainly not of putting it in an obscure closet. I was delighted beyond belief and humbled by God’s kindness. God saw my rekindled sorrow in that dismal hotel and in His way, in His timing He redeemed that sorrow in the most unexpected way. Our God is a God of redemption. His entire plan for humanity rests on His redemptive love. As excited as I was to find my long, lost wedding dress, my mind cannot fathom the rejoicing that occurs in Heaven at the salvation of a long, lost soul. Give God praise today for His loving kindness and redemptive love. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.