Tuesday Tidbits

“By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces. By his breath the skies became fair; his hand pierced the gliding serpent. And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” Job 26:12-14

We found parking and a great spot even though we were getting our beach day off to a late start. The sun would occasionally peek through the overcast skies with a slight breeze blowing, a perfect day to be at the beach. We had been there a couple of hours when I noticed the family next to us packing up their beach gear, and I overheard the lady say she wasn’t going to stay and get struck by lightning. I wondered where she got her weather intel because the sky was cloudy but didn’t look ominous. But a few minutes later, the shrill lifeguards’ whistle sounded, and they were exiting the beach also. When the lifeguards leave their stand and head for the parking lot that is your clue to start packing. The sky, in just a few minutes, had grown intensely dark. As we hurried to our car, the lifeguards were just ahead of us, and we could hear a voice on their radio urging them to take cover immediately. It started to rain, and the thunder in the distance was getting closer. When we crossed the bridge to come off the island, the rain was coming down so hard it was difficult to see. I pulled into a parking lot to wait out the storm for safety. As we sat in the car and watched some of the most ferocious lightning I’ve ever witnessed, the thunder’s roar was even fiercer and, at times, shook the car.

Job’s reply to his friends in Chapter 26 is marked by the many questions he asks of them in his response. He is describing the wisdom and power of God and asking them to contemplate his questions regarding whom they believe God is and who He really is. I pondered this verse from my devotional this week and thought about how God manifests Himself in his infinite wisdom in a gentle whisper. “After the wind there was an earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:11-13). So often in our lives, we look for the thunderous answer, the loud clapping approval, and the deafening assurance. But God speaks in whispers to our souls. And I believe it’s because, as I experienced while sitting in my car during the storm, cowardly cringing at each lightning strike and roaring thunder, my mind was obsessed with the storm’s power. There was no conversation or thoughts of anything else. The power and intensity were consuming. If God were to speak out in thunder, who could understand Him? We would be so fixated and overwhelmed by His power that the words would be lost. Instead, what we see of God and what he reveals to us about His nature is gently whispered in our hearts. A brush of His breath bears the same clarity as words fully spoken in a thunderous boom. Be thankful for His whispers and realize they are just the beginning of all He is and does. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.   

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

I was browsing the design center for the perfect rug when I noticed a signup sheet for a painting class lying on a table. This store has beautiful furniture, carpets, anything you need for your home, and a furniture painting studio. They specialize in giving unwanted furniture new life. I find furniture transformations fascinating, but I have never painted a piece of furniture. I decided it would be a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, meeting new people and learning about my fascination. I wrote my name in the last available slot.

The class required that I bring a piece of furniture from home. In our recent move, I have downsized our furniture collection considerably. But I had a small plant stand pegged for the Salvation Army that would be a perfect practice piece. It was severely scratched, the wrong color for my current décor, and held no emotional attachment. I couldn’t even remember when or where I bought it. Before Jesus enters our lives, we can feel the same. Unwanted, severely damaged, unworthy of transformation, and disposable. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). We bring nothing to the table for our salvation and redemption. Jesus did it all on the cross. An unsaved person riddled with scratches and dents is no different in the eyes of our Lord than the unsaved one who considers themselves perfect. All need transformation. 

The first coat of paint barely covered the deep brown color and scratches. The old personality was showing through the new paint. It reminded me that our faith walk is a journey of sanctification. Jesus’s death on the cross entirely and wholly justifies us. But our old personality can resurface unless continually covered with the Word, submission, and prayer. If our times with the Lord are few and far between, just like the thin coat of paint, our flawed self can outshine the Jesus in us. It was difficult to completely cover the furniture’s flaws with the roller and brushes I used. I was getting frustrated and discouraged. Then the instructor showed me a different brush. She demonstrated the mop brush, saying, “It’s like spreading butter, smooth and soothing.” With the new brush, the paint glided on and covered the piece completely. How often do we use the wrong tools in life? We rely on our own wisdom and judgment, listen to wrong sources, and fill our time with fruitless tasks. All of which leads to frustration and discouragement. But it’s like butter when we seek sanctification through His Word and allow the Holy Spirit to cover us and guide our lives. Even if the days are not smooth, we have the soothing knowledge and hope of Jesus’s saving grace. Using the right tools is transformational in any of life’s situations.  And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.       

But ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you. Let the fish in the sea speak to you. For they all know that this has come from the hand of the Lord. For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being. Job 12:7-10

I love it when God and the beauty of His nature stop me in my tracks. During a moving season, it is easy to get caught up in the snare of busyness. What rug color, which knickknack, will it be curtains or blinds, and the list goes on and on during a move or times of transition. Moving, retirement, new family obligations, or a thousand other things can draw us into the trap of busyness. Busyness in any form takes our daily focus away from God. The enemy loves the excuses we use to justify our lack of Godly mindfulness. My special place where I met the Lord each morning is gone, my schedule has changed and finding the right time for a quiet time is complex, or the enemy’s favorite, in my case, that my office where I write isn’t as secluded and cozy in my new home. And it just doesn’t “feel” right. And then you step out your front door, and God in nature snaps you back to where we need to find our rest and wholeness away from the busyness of life. All the lies the enemy uses are washed away by the creation’s flood of beauty.

Josie and I pass the small pond just steps away from our new home every morning. And every morning, the Lord shows me a different scene. Geese quietly floating, ducklings scampering along the banks, or the sun gloriously breaking through the clouds. It begins my day with a reminder that this new day is a gift and God shines through every minute, every second of it. He wants me to pick the right rug color, but He also wants me to ask His opinion. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.   

Good Morning,

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. Isaiah 58:11

Hello from North Carolina! The past several weeks have been eventful with packing, moving, unpacking, new house projects, and getting semi-settled. And it has been filled with many goodbyes. I was reminded by several friends of the C.S. Lewis quote, “Christians never say good-bye.” With the hope of eternity we all share as Christians, it is true that we never say goodbye on the spiritual level. But in our humanness, goodbyes are a part of life here on earth, and they are hard. They are hard because we were never meant to say goodbye. We were created to be in relationships with people. In the beginning, God created Adam and placed him in the Garden, filled with everything Adam needed except that he was alone. The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Gen 2:18). From that moment forward, goodbyes have been painful.

As painful as it is, it is important to say goodbye. The military has a tradition called a “Hail and Farewell” for a unit’s incoming and outgoing folks. It’s more about the folks leaving because it is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize their contributions to the unit. The same should happen on a personal level as well. When life calls us to part from friends and family, it is important to tell them how much you will miss them, how much they contributed to your life and to be thankful for the time the Lord gave you together in close proximity. The people God puts in our path to do life with are never accidents. They are one of the many blessings from God.

Some of the best times in life happen in our relationships with people. “It is truly wonderful when the people of God live together in peace. It is as beautiful as olive oil poured on Aaron’s head and running down his beard and the collar of his robe” (Psalm 133:1-2). In Biblical times, bathing in oil must have been beautiful, but in my life, beautiful looks like having lunch with a friend, laughing and hanging out with family, or a phone call or text message for no significant reason other than being connected.

Jesus didn’t get a Hail and Farewell party, nice cards, and warm hugs. His disciples ran away from Him, a close friend betrayed Him, and another denied that he knew Jesus. He was tortured, humiliated, and eventually murdered. And for what? He did it so we would never have to truly say goodbye. No matter where life takes us, Christians do not have to say goodbye because we know we will all be together in heaven someday. But for now, on this earth, hug your friends and family, cherish your time with them, and be thankful for the blessings they are. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.       

The picture was taken on my last night in Virginia. I noticed this little piece of paper on my friend’s refrigerator before leaving for NC the next day. It helped slow the tear flow and reminded me of the many friendship blessings God has given me. I love it when God reaches down to comfort us with an unexpected source, just as Isaiah promised in 58:11.     

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. James 4:14

Leaving town and driving south on Interstate 95 last Thursday triggered memories of the movie Deep Impact. It is a 1998 science fiction disaster movie portraying the attempts to prepare for and destroy a gigantic comet set to collide with Earth and cause a mass extinction. The comet is named for Leo Beiderman, the teenage astronomer that discovered it. To cut to the end of a very long and intense movie, the diversion attempts failed, but it was successfully broken into pieces. But a large chunk lands off the coast of North Carolina and causes a massive tsunami. In the final scene, Beiderman and his family climb the Appalachian foothills to escape the catastrophic tidal surge. They reach the top and turn to look back. All they can see is the haze caused by the gigantic waters, but as the water rescinds, the sun breaks out in full glory, and it’s a happy ending. When we reached the rest stop at the North Carolina/Virginia border, people all around, myself included, were standing, marveling at the beautiful blue sky and breathing the clean air. Due to Canadian wildfires, many of us were driving south to escape the worst air quality ever recorded in Washington, DC. The air was dangerously smoky for several days, and the haze blocked the sun. Like in the movie, we were trying to outrun nature’s fury and look for a visible sun in the sky.

It struck me how ironic that we were smack in the middle of another potentially deadly historical event. First, the pandemic, and second, code Maroon air quality. June 8, 2023, is now recorded as the day the DC area had the worst air quality in the world. The whole experience was another vivid reminder of the fragility and vulnerability of humanity and that we are not in control. The meteorologists blamed the wind for pushing the smoke into the northeast. “For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness and treads on the high places of the earth, The Lord God of Hosts is His name” (Amos 4:13). The wind may have been the vehicle that pushed the smoke. Still, humanity always needs to be mindful of the Driver of the vehicle.  

Life is fragile, and even the non-Christian can agree with that, but it’s where we find our stability in the face of powerless control of our lives that differs greatly. At the end of the day, whether the sun is shining or hiding behind the haze, He is all that matters. He is the One that puts the wind in our sails. He calls us to rise each day ready to receive His fresh mercy and sustaining grace no matter how fragile our lives may feel or be. Life’s fragility reminds us of our intense need for God’s power, promises, and salvation. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.       

“Don’t be foolish. A seed must die before it can sprout from the ground. Wheat seeds and all other seeds look different from the sprouts that come up” 1 Cor 15:36 CEV

A dear friend recently gave me a book called Listening to the Language of the Bible. When I expressed my thanks, she said she thought it would be “right up my alley.” She reminded me of my love of words and their meaning. Not that I had forgotten how much delving into the original meaning of words excites me, but sometimes different seasons of life can undoubtedly sidetrack us, and I’m in one of those seasons with a lot of side roads!  The Bible was written in languages and cultures very different from our own. Much study and time by numerous scholars has been devoted to translating the nuances of Hebrew and Greek. However, digging a little deeper into the translated words and phrases can bring wisdom and rich new insights.

My devotional time has led me to the book of John. In chapter twelve, Jesus predicts his death. Jesus replied (to Andrew and Philip), “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds (John 12:23-24). I’ve heard many teachings on this verse, but with my mind tuned to the actual words of the passage, I decided to dig a bit deeper. As a farm girl, the concept that a seed must die to produce anything makes sense to me, but does it defy the law of biogenesis (I’m also a science girl!), which tells us that in nature, life comes from life. So what exactly did Jesus mean? Did He contradict the scientific law?

In the Bible, the word death or die can mean different things, depending on the context in which it is used. Death in the Bible means separation. Spiritual death occurs when we sin (Rom 6:23), and James tells us, “Anyone who doesn’t breathe is dead, and faith that doesn’t do anything is just as dead” (James 2:26). Sin separates us from God, faith apart from obedience is dead and our physical bodies die without breath. But plant life was not created in the image of God and did not have a spirit, so Jesus is not talking about death in the same way humans die.

Keeping within the context of the scripture, for the seed to fall to the ground, it must separate from the stalk. It no longer receives nourishment from the stalk, so it is not growing or being nurtured; it is slowly decaying, lying dormant until it gets nutrients from the soil to sprout and grow into a new plant. When the seed sprouts, the outside seed hull is separated from the budding plant, and the seed (hull) dies.  And that is precisely what the word “dies” means contextually in John 12:24. It means decaying. Seeds lie dormant and decay over centuries, so Jesus did not defy the law of biogenesis in His teaching. In context for us today, Jesus was the seed that had to die and be separated from His physical body and His disciples for His kingdom to grow. He could not remain the single seed. He had to die to produce many seeds. While hiding in the upper room (John 20:19), the disciples were decaying to fear until the nourishment of the Holy Spirit breathed new life into them, and they were emboldened to go out into the world to plant seeds. We lie dormant until someone comes into our lives with the Good News that gives us life. Just like the seed, the process of dormant, decaying, and death must happen for us to receive a life that never dies. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.  

The picture is of the Jezreel Valley or Valley of Megiddo, Israel, where many crops are grown.        

The Lord said, Later, I will give my Spirit to everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will have dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will even give my Spirit to my servants, both men and women…… Then I, the Lord will save everyone who faithfully worships me. Joel 2:28-32 (CEV)

I hope everyone had a reflective Memorial Day. The neighborhood was noticeably humming with activity and people on our daily walk. It was evident from the folks with coolers and unfamiliar faces that several parties took place on their Monday holiday. Realizing that advertisements and news stories abound, citing yesterday as the official start of the summer, I thought about how our family has traditionally commemorated Memorial Day.  I will confess I struggle with the party side of Memorial Day unless it is a celebration of a life given in service to this country. My deeply patriotic spirit wants to shout out that it is not about the hotdogs, hamburgers, and pool openings; it is about the men and women who gave up their yesterdays so we can have our tomorrows. Each Memorial Day evening for many years, we have watched the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS hosted by Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna, and this year was no different. If you have never seen the show, I recommend grabbing your tissues and Googling it. It is a beautiful tribute to all our fallen servicemen and women, with music and actors portraying real-life stories of our country’s veterans. One story concluded with the reminder that every day is Memorial Day for the families of our country’s true heroes. Similar words were declared by the Pastor the day before concerning Pentecost Sunday.

Every few years Pentecost Sunday and Memorial Day weekend occur simultaneously. The Feast of Pentecost is also a memorial day, celebrated each year by Christians as they remember the events recorded in Acts 2.  But it is a different kind of remembering. Instead of just remembering the past and commemorating a life taken in war, the events of Pentecost continue to live on in reality and aid us in the battle we fight every day. “We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world” (Eph 6:12). We can only do that with the gift of the Holy Spirit that was given on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Without the Holy Spirit we are totally defenseless.

When Peter addresses the crowd in Acts 2, he points to the Good News promised in Joel 2:28-32. God promised the people of Israel that one day, the Holy Spirit of God would be poured out in power on all of God’s people, and no one that comes to believe by faith would be denied. Joel promised it. It is realized at Pentecost. Each year at Pentecost, we are reminded that God keeps His promises, that Pentecost marks the church’s birthday, and that the church’s primary purpose is to share the love of Jesus with the world, with no exceptions. Pentecost was a watershed moment in God’s plan of salvation, and every day in the life of the Christian should be a Pentecost day. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.    

When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love…I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow. John 15:10-11 (NLT)

The people of Israel booted out the aging prophet, Samuel and he anointed Saul as the first king of Israel. Very early in his reign, Saul failed the Lord’s test of obedience, and subsequently the Lord rejected him as king over Israel (1 Sam 15:26). The Lord then instructed Samuel, “Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king” (1 Sam 16:1). After seven of Jesse’s sons were rejected by the Lord, the youngest was called from tending the sheep. And the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” So Samuel took the oil and anointed him, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power (16:13).

Most bible scholars believe David was between ten and fifteen years old when Samuel anointed him. But he did not become king until he was thirty years old (2 Sam 5:4). Within those years, David enters the service of King Saul, kills Goliath, marries Saul’s daughter, and befriends Saul’s son Jonathan. But instead of being welcomed into the family with loving arms, the scripture tells us that “Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, Saul became still more afraid of him and remained his enemy the rest of his days” (1 Sam 18:28-29). And that is when the chase began. Saul was determined to kill David, and for years David ran from one place to another. At least on two separate occasions, David could have turned the tables, destroyed Saul, and taken his rightful place as king, but he didn’t.

On one such occasion, Saul entered a cave to relieve himself, and unbeknownst to him, David and his men were hiding in the back of the cave. David cuts off a corner of his hem to prove he could have killed him. When Saul exits the cave, David shouts to him, holding the hem. Another time, Saul is sleeping at the camp with his spear and water jug by his head. Instead of killing him, David took the spear and the water jug to once again prove he spared Saul’s life. David’s companion in crime declared that the Lord had delivered Saul into his hands and chastised him for not killing him. But David rebuked him, reminding him that the Lord had forbidden him to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed (1 Sam 26:11). David’s faithfulness and allowing God’s plan and path to play out in His way is admirable and sets the example for us. How often has the Lord given us a definitive direction, and when opportunities present, we waffle or move forward in our own path?

As I pack boxes and prepare for our upcoming move, I can recall questioning God’s call for us to move to North Carolina many times. In the two years since we bought our new home, many things have changed,  and I ashamedly tried to use those instances to justify not walking in obedience to God’s call. Each time, I felt the tug of the Holy Spirit calling me to repentance and acceptance to follow the path He has chosen for us. Our obedience, even if it is painful, inexplicably releases Christ’s joy in us. Now with joyful expectation, I’m looking forward to my new home and the service God has prepared for us.  And when people ask me why we are moving to North Carolina, my joyful answer is that God told us to! And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.  

The picture is of our soon to be North Carolina home.

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

Samuel, the great prophet, had served Israel for many years by the time we arrive to the twelfth chapter of the book of 1 Samuel. But the people cried out for a king to rule over them, and the Lord granted them their desires.  Saul was thirty years old when he became king and reigned over Israel for forty-two years (I Sam 13:1). But not long into his reign, Samuel came to him with a mission from God. God would use Saul to punish the Amalekites for the attack on the Israelites as Moses led them out of Egypt. Joshua won the battle, but the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure Joshua hears it because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven” (Exodus 17:14). Fast forward in history, and because God does not forget. He always has a plan; He would use Saul to bring what He had declared to Moses to fruition.

Samuel delivered God’s message to Saul, and God’s instructions were very clear. “Now go attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys” (1 Sam 15:2-3). But when Saul attacked, he was unwilling to destroy completely. He did not kill King Agag and kept all the best livestock. Needless to say, the Lord was not pleased and revealed to Samuel that He was sorry He had ever made Saul king.  When Samuel confronts Saul, his response is twisted, self-righteous, and probably not unfamiliar to us.  He defends himself, declaring, “But I did obey the Lord.” He then takes his justification even further, admitting he brought back the king and the best of the livestock, buts it was all for the Lord, certainly not for his personal gain. He was sure God and Samuel would find this pleasing and not have a problem with a king and a few fat calves. But his version of obedience was far different from God’s undiluted instructions that told him to destroy everything with no exceptions. Amidst trying to defend his actions, he tells Samuel that he spared the livestock for sacrifice to the “Lord your God” not once but twice (1 Sam 15:15, 21). Notice Saul did not refer to the Lord as “his” God. He is distancing himself from God because that is what disobedience does. It clouds our judgment, puts us on the defensive, and creates a wedge between us and God.  

Samuel answers Saul’s defense with a question. “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams” (1 Sam 15:22). Whether Saul had nefarious intents for his disobedience, or he truly believed the sacrifices and spoilages of war laid on the alter would appease God and bring him reward we cannot judge. But what we can take away from this story is that God makes it very clear that what He wants from us is our hearts. And a heart for God leads to an offering of obedience and love—something a sacrifice will never render. The story of Saul continues next week, and that’s your Tuesday Tidbit. 

The picture, a representation of a sacrificial lamb, was taken while in Israel in Nazareth village. 

“But as for me, it is good to be near God.” Psalm 73:28

God’s assurance that He is ever present can be found throughout the Bible. He is there whether our days are filled with exhausting or unexpected demands and circumstances or mundane. Because we are spatial beings, we struggle with the concept of God being in all places at all times. But He is because He is God. This is mind-boggling to our finite minds, but it stays true to God’s nature. One of the most beautiful passages concerning God’s presence in our lives comes from Psalm 139:7-12.  

We don’t know how to explain it, and often words cannot describe His omnipresence’s impression on our lives. It’s not merely a theological or intellectual statement to say God is everywhere; it has real-life ramifications.  To believe and understand this Godly characteristic changes everything for us, and there are times when meditating or recognizing God’s constant companionship will make all the difference in our hearts, minds, and emotions.

Being constantly aware of God in all corners of our life draws us closer to Him. But there are times when we particularly need His reassuring presence.  Times of trouble or temptation and times when we are called to surrender our will and submit to what He has ordained for us. We all feel overwhelmed when God calls us to do something we never thought of doing and didn’t want to do in the first place. When God called out to Moses from the burning bush (Ex 3:4) and tasked him with leading the Israelites out of Egypt, he questioned God and tried to get out of the assignment. But God reassured him that He would certainly be with him (Ex 3:12). God knew that Moses needed the reassurance of His constant presence.

Even though God is always present, there are moments when God seems to manifest Himself to us more vividly than at other times. It can be through a great worship experience, devotion, and even through flowers. Last week was a particularly challenging week for me. Various demands and obligations pulled me from every direction, and I was starting to feel overwhelmed. I wasn’t meditating or being mindful of God’s presence in the chaos. I was like the diligent staff officer, executing the details. Then a text came from a friend alerting me that flowers should be arriving the next day. This was the second time she had ordered them. The first order never arrived, and the fight to be reimbursed took weeks. In her mind, the flowers were late, but the timing was perfect in light of my stressful week. God’s timing is always perfect. The beautiful flowers made me stop and be reminded of the joy and comfort of His ever-present, abiding presence. He is always near, right beside us. It is my prayer that you will bask in His presence daily. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.