Tuesday Tidbits

I will think about all you have done; I will reflect upon your deeds. Psalms 77:12(NET)

Memorial Day is a day to honor and mourn the country’s deceased servicemen and women. It was established as a time to reflect on the lives of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country and our freedom. But it looks vastly different today than its solemn beginning because many view it as the official start of summer, commemorated with cookouts, parties, and pool openings. In this fast-paced world, time set aside to reflect is seldom practiced or encouraged. Throughout the pages of scripture, we are admonished to reflect and meditate upon the many attributes of God, the consequences of actions and inactions of those directed by God, and how we can apply the principles to our daily lives. Reflection takes time, honesty, and vulnerability.

I was blessed to be a part of both Bible studies this past spring semester, which ended with a time especially dedicated to reflecting on the study and its impact on our lives. Hearing how God’s Word impacts lives so differently within the same study is uplifting and encouraging. It is a testimony to the hope-filled truth that God’s Word is alive. One of the studies explored the entire book of Ephesians. It has been a few decades since I joined a multi-generational group. The youngest member was twenty-two, and the oldest was in her late seventies. It was refreshing to witness a hunger for Biblical understanding in the younger Ladies and encouraging to glean wisdom and insight from the Titus women of the group.    

Paul begins his letter to the saints in Ephesus by detailing the doctrines of election and predestination. Paul reminds them that God is in control of all things at all times and that nothing catches Him by surprise. God is sovereign over all. I reflected on how much I needed that reminder. It’s not like God has not reminded me of this truth many times, especially during the seventeen military moves, but He knew I needed a refresher course.

Paul continues in the following chapters, reminding us that Christ is our peace. His prayer for the Ephesians prompted me to reflect on how much God truly loves us. Our human minds cannot fathom how wide, deep, long, or high His love is for us. But Paul encourages us, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to grasp this truth so that we will be made complete (Eph 3:18-19). And with this truth in hand, as we look back over our lives, both the good times and the rugged roads within God’s providential plan, we can be reassured that His only motivation in that plan is His great love for us. 

In the book’s last chapter, Paul admonishes us to be strong in the Lord and put on God’s full armor. But after we put on the armor, he tells us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).  Prayer is our connection to God. It connects us to fellow Believers and non-believers. God answers all prayers. Even His silence is an answer. Through a reflection of our answered prayers, we can see God at work in our lives and the lives of others. Sometimes, it takes many years to understand His answers; sometimes, it is instantaneous. But it is only through reflection that we can give God all the glory. And that is the ultimate goal for every moment of our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Take the time and ask the Holy Spirit to help you reflect on the many blessings of God and His Word and their impact on your life. As you do that, take a moment to reflect on the fallen servicemen and women who died defending the freedom to share our testimonies, study His Word, and worship without governmental persecution. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.  

The picture was taken at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

“What can I offer the Lord for all He has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me” Psalm 116:12

I started reading Psalms and Proverbs daily at the beginning of the month. I read Psalm 13 this week, and I love the questions David asked as he lamented to God. It shows us that we can share our heartache with God. Being perfectly honest with God, especially in the presence of pain, is one of the first steps towards turning to God with that pain and believing in His restorative power.

“How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:2). Our thoughts can engulf us, particularly in times of adversity. The word “wrestle” vividly depicts a back-and-forth struggle, a battle of winning and losing. In a wrestling match, victory is achieved by outmaneuvering and overpowering the opponent. Similarly, when we grapple with defeating thoughts, the best move is to surrender them to God and lean on His strength. Through His word and strength, we can conquer the thoughts that haunt us. If we rely on our strength, we will lose the wrestling match every time.

Our enemies are numerous and can include doubt, fear, and unbelief. Every believer struggles at some point with the enemies of the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), especially David. But David has a solution. “But I will trust in your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord for he has been good to me” (vs. 5-6). This psalm is about God’s loving way of sustaining us in times of trouble by remembering His faithfulness and goodness. I love how David ends with he will sing to the Lord. Sing loud enough to drown out the thoughts!   

The picture was taken at a local NC beach. God’s creation sings of His majestic power, grace, and beauty. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you” Isaiah 43:2. His sustaining power is evidenced along the shores of every beach, symbolizing the unrelenting presence of God amidst the wrestling tides of our lives. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.

“I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4: 12-13

I think most people would agree that moving is not easy. It’s challenging mentally, emotionally, and physically. Recently, we have been helping our oldest daughter move into her first house, and I was once again reminded of the physical toll moving takes on the body. Bumps, bruises, sore muscles, and swollen joints are evidence of our aging bodies. Lifting, pushing, and pulling furniture and boxes becomes difficult at best and impossible in many cases as we age. Watching a professional mover single-handedly hoist a recliner upstairs with his mere strength is simultaneously remarkable and discouraging. Accepting limitations on our strength and inevitable physical weakness as we grow older is a part of aging, but it should never be a part of our spiritual lives. Strength comes in many forms, as well as weakness.

Moral and ethical weaknesses, financial and physical weaknesses, and occupational and parental weaknesses are a few that come to mind. But the most debilitating weakness is in our walk with God. This world will present many sufferings and challenges that can be generated by our weaknesses or the weaknesses of others in our lives. No matter what we face, we need strength to persevere. Not human bodily strength but God-given strength.  Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:10 to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”  But what if you don’t feel strong right now? What if your current circumstances feel like it has sapped every last ounce of your strength? The Bible tells us that is precisely where we need to be for God’s strength to take over.  The Lord says to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (NLT).

Plugging into God’s strength and overcoming weakness doesn’t just happen because we believe what the Bible says about God’s power and might. We have to access God’s strength on a practical level and apply it to our daily lives. What does relying on God’s strength and power look like, feel, taste, and smell like? All the strength we need for the challenges of this life is found within the pages of God’s Word (2 Peter 1: 3-8). We must read it, listen to it, memorize it, meditate on and walk in obedience to the Word. David Jeremiah tells us, “Like loving words from an encouraging friend, the words you find in the pages of Scripture will strengthen your soul with wisdom, joy, and light (Psalm 19:7-8). They’ll impart the certainty of God’s Word to give you strength.”

Worship and prayer direct our focus to the One who gives us strength. It breathes air into the deflated and discouraged soul. Tears of pain and sorrow may flow freely during heartfelt worship, but He catches every tear (Psalm 56:8) and can be trusted to turn those tears into joy amid any circumstance. Simply praising God’s name in adoration and love can impart a sense of power and strength found only in worship of Him.

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14). Waiting for anything or anyone in this chaotic world is not a popular trend. We want all things to be instantaneous, including an immediate fix to all the trying circumstances of life. But that is not God’s way. The Bible is filled with verses encouraging us to wait on God’s timing and accept his timeline. It is the most difficult to practice because it is in direct opposition to our world today. But as we wait in reliance on Him, we are strengthened. 

I pray that when we are weak, we realize that is when we are the most available to our Lord. Always remember, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Isaiah 40:29). That is a promise and your Tuesday Tidbit.    

The picture is of our daughter’s new home.  

He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalm 107:29(ESV)

Stillness in this world is a rare commodity. With all the busyness and noise, it’s easy to forget the need for stillness and the blessings it can bring. As I look back on growing up, I realize how fortunate I was to grow up in one of the most quiet places on the East Coast. How can I make this claim? Just a few short miles from my hometown, at the foot of the Shenandoah Mountain, lies the tiny town of Sugar Grove, WV. Google reports a population of around eight hundred, but I believe that to be somewhat inflated. Sugar Grove is the home of one of this country’s most historic and vital National Security Agencies (NSA). While growing up, it was simply called the Navy Base. Yes, a radio receiving station in West Virginia that is so secret and valuable that it is built underground with very limited access. Sugar Grove was chosen in the late 1950s because it was an area with the least amount of radio frequency interference. It is located in the National Radio Quiet Zone, established by Congress in 1958 to facilitate its mission. To this day, cellphone reception in many areas is non-existent. My children affectionately refer to my hometown as “the cave.” It is one of the stillest places on earth.

In the busyness of this life, it is easy to ignore the need for stillness and prioritize the wrong things. But the Bible teaches us to “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). God gives stillness precedence, and so should we. The words be still are translated from the Hebrew harp, which means “to let go” or “to release or to cause to let go.” One of my most challenging struggles as a Christian is the axiom, “Let go and let God.” Exodus 14:14 reinforces this principle. Consider the scene in Exodus. The Israelites were trapped between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army that was barreling toward them. They were outnumbered and powerless, but God intervened. Using Moses as His instrument, He reassured the Israelites, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Can you imagine the thoughts racing through their heads in that situation and being told to be still?  We know the story ends well with God parting the Red Sea and the Israelites finding safety on the other side. God showed up in a big way. But what about the moments, hours, days, weeks, months, and years before God shows up in His perfect timing? What does stillness look like, then? Being still is not just a physical act but also a spiritual act of refusing to strive in our power. In fact, in Psalm 46:10, “be still” means to “cease striving.” Being still must happen in the heart and the mind before our body can emulate it.

In my life, my need for productivity is my biggest stumbling block to practicing stillness. I call myself a “piddler.” I can spend a whole day going from one thing to the next, trying to avoid idleness. But stillness is not the same as idleness, and that false belief is a lie from satan. It is one of the many ways he convinces us to operate in the flesh and not in the Spirit. Clouding our minds with the busyness of this world through to-do lists and projects, social media and search engines, and the endless connectivity of texting and phone calls leads us down the wrong path of depending on outside sources for wisdom and peace. We must not let our drive for productivity and connectivity make us feel guilty for practicing stillness and miss out on connecting with the only source of true peace and wisdom- Jesus. Being still in the presence of the Lord is where we learn His will for our lives and all He has called us to accomplish. Productivity for Him brings genuine satisfaction in this life. I pray for all of us to stop striving for whatever it is in our day that prevents us from practicing stillness. May “being still” in the presence of our Lord be the umbrella that we gather under as life in this world rains down upon us. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.     

The photo is of family land in WV taken during a recent trip while enjoying the stillness.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

It’s strawberry season in North Carolina. There are several farms where you can “pick your own,” which is a favorite activity this time of year. Freshly picked strawberries are a beautiful bright red, shiny, unbruised, and wrinkle-free. As I arrived home recently, one of my neighbors rolled by in her golf cart. She stopped to say hello and handed me a bowl of gorgeous, freshly picked strawberries. That day, she had visited a local farm, so they were fresh off the vine. In today’s vernacular, folks call that a “random act of kindness.” This simple act of receiving kindness reminded me of the power and beauty of this virtue.

A whole phenomenon surrounds the “random act of kindness” trend. Social media frequently posts recommendations on how to show kindness in random ways to friends and strangers. A foundation and numerous websites provide resources and ideas for showing kindness in every situation and among every group of people who may touch our lives. After reading several articles about this trend, one conclusion was common among them. Boosting our mood, reducing stress, and possibly alleviating symptoms of depression or anxiety are the most reported benefits of random acts of kindness. Most of the research I read was heavy on the positive side for the giver, with little to be said about the recipient.  So, what about the recipient? And what does the Bible say about kindness?

One of the many character traits of God is kindness. His kindness towards humanity spills out throughout the pages of the Bible. And in the ultimate act of kindness towards a fallen people, He gave His Son as a sacrifice that we may live. Isaiah 54:8 tells us that because of His everlasting kindness, He will have compassion on us. Everlasting kindness never ends, and He did that through the person of Jesus Christ. God is the author and sustainer of kindness. “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in his kindness, to us in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6-7). This passage from Ephesians beautifully illustrates how God’s kindness manifests His grace and is a key part of His plan for our redemption.

God often uses people to manifest His kindness. As Christians, we know that our lives are not random. If we are the recipients of an act of kindness, and since all good things come from God, that gift of kindness is part of God’s plan for us. My neighbor had no idea that the week had been tough and finding joy at that time was particularly challenging. But God knew. As I received her gift with thanks, I looked up to the Giver of all things good and gave praise. When I felt bruised, crumpled, and lusterless, He sent a neighbor with a bowl of gorgeous strawberries to remind me of His kindness and compassion. May we always be sensitive to the Spirit when called to a “random act of kindness.” I leave you with this quote from Saint Teresa of Avila: “Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.”  And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.       

“but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31

In this Holy Week leading up to Easter Sunday, meditating on the word, “surrender” has been where my thoughts have been. I have awoken several mornings with the beautiful hymn “I Surrender All” playing in my heart. The title describes the lyrics completely, to live a life in absolute submission to the Father’s will is to live a life of true peace and joy. That is the gift of Easter. Jesus willingly in humble submission gave Himself to God, to allow God to complete His plan through His death on the cross. It didn’t matter what men might accuse Him of or the pain they would inflict. He surrendered all.

Jesus’s substitution for us is an absolute one-and-done. One surrender, one man, one cross, one death, and one glorious resurrection saved humanity from the deserved wrath of God. Our Lord uttered the words, “It is finished” while hanging on the cross (John 19:30). It is complete. But even Believers, fully justified by the blood of Christ, struggle with surrender. At least I freely admit, I do! The doctor’s report is not good, our children become prodigals, finances are lacking, or we are called to move and leave family and friends, the list of life’s woes is endless. The trial is life jarring enough by itself and then the thought of surrendering our control and will on top of the chaos can be terrifying.  How often do we utter, “The Lord’s will be done” and as soon as we get up off our knees, we start to operate in our own battle plan?  I pronounce myself guilty of the charge.

Teachings about what surrendering looks like abound. And I freely admit this tidbit is not intended to impart new, riveting wisdom on the subject. The most important, life-changing act of surrender we do is to confess we are sinners, believe Jesus died for our sins, and put our faith in Him. That is Easter!  Life after that is a work in progress. In Christianese, that’s called sanctification. And sanctification requires surrender. The wisdom I can share is that when the hard times and trials come, only surrender brings peace and joy. And that surrender sometimes has to be offered up on an hourly basis to tap down the fear and get through the day. And we will fail. Only one Man got it completely right the first go around. But we must hold tight to the love that Christ demonstrated on the cross and our driving force for surrender must be love. Not for a desired outcome or a less painful road. But that Jesus loved God more than He loathed the suffering and He loves us more than He loved His own life. All hope, peace, and joy are hinged on these truths. When we ponder the person of Jesus and His sacrifice this Easter, and how we will demonstrate our love for Him? May gratitude, worship, and surrender flow from our hearts in response to His ultimate surrender. What love! What a Savior! Happy Easter! And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.  

The photo was taken in Jerusalem of the Garden Tomb. It is empty! He has Risen, Indeed!

Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! Then the trees of the forest will sing…. 1 Chronicles 16:32-33

Spring has sprung! Today, March 19, 2024, is the first day of Spring. Many people declare Spring as their favorite time of year. Folks who live in colder climates look forward to the warmer temperatures and those that live in more temperate parts of the world anticipate the change of season for different reasons. But almost everyone agrees that Spring brings forth a season of life and beauty that everyone enjoys and anticipates. As I’m writing this, I’m able to see the new flower pots hanging outside the window and they bring a smile to my face. In full disclosure, my thumb is not green and I know very little about growing flowers, shrubs, and trees. Which demonstrates that the season of blooming can speak to anyone.

David brings the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem in 1 Chronicles 15-16. David’s beautiful psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord is recorded in 1 Chronicles 16:7-36. In the psalm, David exhorts us to sing and praise Him. He painted a poetic picture of God’s majesty and grace using nature as a backdrop for his symbolism. Nature passionately declares the creativity and redemptive power of God. Just by being, just by displaying God’s handiwork, nature “sings” God’s praise. My favorite flower is the tulip. I have visited Holland and the seemingly endless fields of beautiful tulips are breathtaking and words are not adequate. Whenever I think of nature singing, the picture of those tulip gardens comes to mind. As the first shoot breaks through the soil, then rises towards the sun, and finally, the buds break open in full bloom, in my imagination it’s kinda like the hallelujah chorus being sung towards Heaven.

Still, there are times when we cannot adequately express how deeply we appreciate God’s goodness and love. So we join with nature as David did, “Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day” (1 Chron 16:23). How does the earth proclaim salvation? It is God’s nature to make something new and His gospel plan for salvation is evident throughout nature. Jesus paints this example for us in John 12 and John 15 using a kernel of wheat and a tree to make His point. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John12:24-25).  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).  

God created us to glorify Him. That is our purpose both on this earth and in Heaven in its entirety. Everything we do and everything we say should be done in and through the mind of Christ. The budding flowers and all of nature give us the perfect example. As you watch and admire the coming season of bloom and warmth picture in your mind the seas resounding, the flowers dancing in jubilance, and the trees singing as the leaves burst forth. It’s a completely different picture of Spring than the world paints. Can you hear it? Will you join in their praise and glory to God? And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit. 

The picture was taken of the tulips in Airlie Gardens, Wilmington NC        

“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.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

I freely admit I’ve been in somewhat of a rut lately. With the first phase of moving completed and the chilly winter months, it was easy to cozy up and slip into a routine of the same old, same old. The dictionary defines a rut as a habit or pattern that has become dull and unproductive. Interestingly, it also says a rut is a long, deep track made by repeated passage of the wheels of vehicles. The dictionary didn’t list it, but in the medical world, the same terminology describes paths formed in the brain called neural pathways. Our neural pathways or ruts are formed by learning. The more we repeat a routine, the deeper the channel gets. The fascinating fact is that these microscopic ruts can be seen during an autopsy. The brain’s nature is to save energy. It requires far less cognitive thought or energy to keep doing or continue thinking the same way than it does to learn something new. Our habitual tasks and thought pattern ruts keep getting deeper and deeper, and consequently because it requires much more cognitive energy, it is hard to get out of the old and make new tracks. Hence, why established habits are hard to break; you have to dig a new rut.

Imagine driving a car along a narrow dirt road. Due to the lack of pavement, deep tracks have been formed by the vehicles repeatedly driving down the road. You are gripping the steering wheel tightly as you navigate the road because thinking you could jump the rut and get out of the well-worn path is nerve-wracking. Where would this new path take me? Would I crash the car off the side of the road? Or would the new way make the drive easier? Most of the time, because it is the easier path and elicits much less fear, we stay on the well-worn road. Our brains, thoughts, and actions are in a literal rut.

But God, in His Word, commands us to react differently. In Romans 12:2, Paul urges us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Renewing the mind means learning new things and thinking new thoughts. God designed this prescription for getting out of a rut long before modern-day psychology. The irony here is that modern psychology actually agrees with God. Though I doubt they would admit it, the remedy is the same. How do Christians get out of a spiritual rut or renew their minds? By opening our minds to God’s way of thinking. We do that by consistently reading the Word, not just scanning the text with a preconceived personal interpretation. But asking the Holy Spirit to open our minds and hearts to what God has to say about a particular passage. The Scriptures are the Living Word of God. Seeing the scriptures as “Living” is an amazing fact that I believe many Christians forget or don’t realize. We get into the rut of seeing the same scriptures in the same light. But when we open up our minds to be renewed, God can use the same scripture you have read fifty times to speak to you in your circumstances today in a completely different way than that scripture did last year. That’s because they are alive! I get so excited when God reveals something in a familiar scripture through Bible study or solid Biblical teaching that I had never considered before. Or to feel the Holy Spirit’s comfort and peace as a familiar scripture is used as a balm for a new pain or heartache. Every day could hold something exciting or comforting if we get out of our ruts and open our hearts and minds to be renewed by God’s Word. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.

The picture is our new pickleball paddles. We are going to learn something new!  

“Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”  Ephesians 4:21-24

Last week, we registered and licensed the car in our new home state of North Carolina. For some, I’m sure it is not a big deal, but for me, it was somewhat emotional. Removing the old plate brought back a flood of memories from the last twenty-plus years. Whether right or wrong, our license plate provides a small view of who we are to perfect strangers. Whenever I spot a tag from West Virginia, I always feel a kinship and wonder if I’m familiar with their small town. As I pass a car with a Virginia plate, I often wonder if they are from the NOVA area and, maybe, by chance, if we lived in the same vicinity. In a totally different light, having a local tag negates all the mercy I can hope for being a visitor when I fail to navigate the numerous turnarounds and traffic circles of my new surroundings. Isn’t it interesting how the perception we give to the world outside our car can change with the flip of a piece of metal? Also intriguing is how we feel removing the old, worn tag from our former state and replacing it with a brand new plate.  

In 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 Paul provides some of the New Testament’s most explicit teaching concerning new birth in Christ. “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time, we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anybody who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” This “new creation” has such transcendent importance that it is the visible evidence of our salvation. Our old lives of sin and shame are removed, and our new life in Christ begins. Our lives are no longer worldly but spiritual. The old nature of self-love and self-indulgence in sin has been replaced with a yearning and desire for new things, full of life and the glory of God. The new creation is a wondrous mystery of God, created by His power and glory born from His great love for us.

These verses profoundly and simply illustrate the incredible significance of our redemption. Because God so fully and completely loves humanity, He is all about redemption. In today’s vernacular, it is His main game. We, the redeemed, don’t live sinless lives but live each day, sinning less and hating it more each time we fail. That is only possible through the redemptive power of Jesus. A redeemed person is secure in Jesus, who bears God’s wrath for all our sins. Through faith and acceptance of Jesus, we are assured of a present and future glory in Him that is beyond our comprehension.

Just like the perception we give the world with a change of license plate, the same is true when we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord of our lives. How the world sees us and how we feel inwardly should change. Our salvation is not just for ourselves but to reveal the glory of God to others, and it should be visible, just like our license plates. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.