Tuesday Tidbits

“And the peace which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7

The contractor waved his arms in excitement as he exclaimed, “your choices are endless!” If you have ever remodeled or built a home, you have heard the same statement at some point in the process. I don’t know if he noticed the panic on my face, but it was there. I am not a person that is comfortable with infinite choices. An endless array of options is not a peaceful place for me, and I’m guessing it’s not for most people. It only took two days of appointments with contractors and being bombarded with decision after decision for my brain to be overwhelmed and exhausted.

Life is filled with endless decisions that have to be made daily. Some are critical and life-altering, and some are very basic.  But the most crucial life-changing decision any human being will ever make will be where they will spend eternity. In Acts 4:12, Peter declares to the Sanhedrin, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” There is only one option and only one choice. There is only one name in all of heaven and earth with the power to save. And that name is Jesus (Romans 10:13).

In a world filled with choice overload, I am abundantly grateful for the peace of my salvation. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). We who trust Christ are redeemed and declared righteous by faith. Our sins are forgiven, rebellion ceases, the war is over, and we have peace with God. Jesus says in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.” Peace cannot be found in this world of endless choices. All the stuff this world has to offer is shallow and unfulfilling. No individual without Jesus Christ can ever have peace, and no world without God can ever know peace.

God’s peace comes to us when we can stop amid the swirling current of life’s choices and take the time to seek Him through studying His word and prayer. He commands us to “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). We must disconnect from life’s activity to know Him. But to know Him, we must first choose Him. And to those who make that decision and stay fixed on Him, He gives the gift of peace even in a world of endless choices. Praise the Lord today for His gift, and that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.

The picture of the grocery store aisle illustrates one place where we are faced with row after row of choices and decisions.  

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name.” Psalm 91:14

A friend reminded me recently that names have meaning. Many folks name babies based on the 100 hundred most popular names, after relatives, or they pick names with specific meanings. The Bible tells us in chapter twenty-five of Genesis that Isaac and Rebekah’s twins were named Esau and Jacob because “And the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over; so they called him Esau. Afterward, his brother came out, and his hand told hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob.” In Hebrew, Esau means hairy, and Jacob means he takes by the heel or cheats, so both names were accordingly befitting.

In the Bible, names always had meaning to include the many names of God. Yahweh means “The Lord” and “God” and holds particular significance in Jewish tradition as the holiest of names and is held in the highest esteem. Derived from the Hebrew word “I am”. Elohim means “Father God/God the Creator” and reflects God’s sovereignty and absolute power. Abba Father is the name we utter when calling upon God for assurance, comfort, and protection. The name Jehovah Jireh is only found once in the Bible in the book of Genesis. Abraham uses it to name the place on Mount Moriah where God provided him with a ram to sacrifice as a replacement for his son, Isaac. It’s a beautiful name that reflects His faithfulness and how he keeps his promise to provide for us everything we need (Romans 8:32). These are just a few of the many names of God. They reveal His character and loving nature to us as we grow closer to Him. 

Names are important to God, so they should be important to us. The scriptures teach us that the Lord knows and calls us by name. “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3). Names convey a sense of who we are and how others relate to us. How often do we encounter people that serve us, check out our groceries, or record our medical information and never bother to look at their name tags? Have you ever noticed how a conversation changes when you refer to a stranger wearing a name tag by name? Their countenance brightens, and the conversation takes a more amicable turn. What if we all endeavored to ask the name of all those we encountered? Using a person’s name helps us connect. Knowing their name gives meaning to them and to us. Through the mere bond of learning a person’s name, the door may open to sharing the Good News. The conversation that leads someone to call upon the name of the Lord can begin with “hello, what is your name”? And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.    

The picture is the name Yahweh written in Hebrew.  

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem” Matthew 2:1

This weekend was spent taking down and putting away Christmas decorations. Many folks prefer to undecorate as soon as December 26^th. Still, I adopted the tradition of waiting until at least January 6^th, also known as Three Kings Day or Epiphany, many years ago while living in Germany. In Germany, January 6^th is a public holiday signifying the end of the Christmas season and the day set aside to commemorate the Magi’s arrival in Bethlehem. Ironically, the scriptures tell us very little about these men, but the record of the Magi’s visit in the second chapter of Matthew leaves us with a beautiful example of how to walk with our Lord.

They walked in obedience by following the star over five hundred miles. They were committed to the truth of the prophecy and made an enormous journey all the way across the desert to find Him. Psalm 119:160 says, “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting.” While we may not be asked to journey across a desert based solely on the truth of God’s Word, we will have many circumstances in our daily lives where we must rely on our commitment to the trustworthiness of God’s word. God’s word refreshes the soul, makes wise the simple, gives joy to the heart, enlightens the eyes, His decrees are firm and righteous, they are more precious than gold, and in keeping them is great reward (Psalm 19:7-11). Honestly, what more do we need to direct our paths? Whether life has us trudging through sinking sand or gliding along city streets, His Word is the only guide we need.

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him” (Matt 2:11). Why did the Magi make that arduous journey? Was it merely to bring gifts? That answer is found at the very beginning of the story. When the Wisemen arrived in Jerusalem, they asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matt 2:2). The purpose of their entire quest was one of worship and of a God probably not their own. The Child had come for everyone. The gifts were secondary, a reflection of the givers and the recipient.

The journey’s purpose was to worship, which is our purpose.  “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100:1-3). He doesn’t need anything we have to offer; He desires our worship. We were created to worship; it is our supreme purpose and privilege (Philippians 2:9-11). My house looks and feels empty after all the Christmas décor is gone, just like our lives would be and are empty without Jesus. May your days overflow with worship and reliance on His holy Word, with no emptiness to be found.  And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.

The picture is of King Herod’s palace in Masada, Israel taken during my March 2022 trip.

Good Morning and Happy New Year,

But Jesus told him, “No! The scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4

Cross-stitching was the trend when I was younger. It is tedious, time-consuming, and detail-demanding, but it produces beautiful tapestries when completed. My Sister gave me a cross-stitch piece she had in her possession that I had made for my grandmother many years ago. It is a remarkably simple pattern but contains a profound question. Have I let God’s word reflect who I am and who I want to become today? It would have to be assumed that one would know God’s Word to answer the question. I humbly admit that I had limited Biblical knowledge when I crafted the gift for my grandmother some forty-plus years ago. 

This is the time of year when most people reflect on the past and make goals or resolutions for the upcoming year. I have entered the stage of life where I realize resolutions are unsuccessful if they are not accompanied by a genuine willingness to change. And the same is true of our Christian walk. Walking alongside the Lord in obedience requires the desire to be transformed according to His will. Romans 12:2 says, “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.” 

Simply put, this means interpreting life through the lens of God’s Word and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And for the renewal process to begin, God’s Word must be our source. There is truly no other way. The Bible is the inerrant word of God, and it is alive. It speaks to us in ways that no other person can. “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). We can only be whole when we spend time in the Word building a relationship with the Saviour of our souls. Nothing else completes us, especially anything this world has to offer.

The one simple question we started with reveals the need for a deeper level of spiritual commitment to reading God’s Word daily and allowing it to permeate our lives so that others can see the reflection of God’s Word in our lives. This is my New Year’s resolution; will you join me? And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit. 

Each Sunday morning of this Christmas season, after lighting the Advent candle, the congregation is invited to stand in worship and sing a very simple but powerful chorus from a song performed by Sovereign Grace Praise. The refrain “Prepare Him room, Prepare Him room,” sung without accompaniment, quietly raised in praise, brings me to tears every time. The unadorned simplicity of the chorus makes me ponder many questions. Jesus arrived, and his first bed was a manager, a feeding trough for animals because there was no room for them anywhere else in Bethlehem. After knocking on many doors, the answer was that we have no room. He arrived into a world that didn’t make room for Him because He was not the kind of King they were expecting. Over two thousand years later, do we still have problems finding a space for Jesus to occupy in this world He created? Do we make room for Him in our lives, homes, hearts, and everyday world? This is the true essence of Advent, to prepare Him room. When Christmas arrives, He is knocking at the door; open the door wide, invite the King of Glory to move in, and allow Him to take over our lives. I’ll close this tidbit with the words to the beautiful song “Prepare Him Room,” written by Stan Hinshaw, Dave Fournier and Rebecca Elliott. I pray you will ponder them in your heart this week.

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.”  Luke 2:8

Every year I look forward to decorating for Christmas; my Granny’s nativity set is my most precious decoration. Each year when I carefully bring it out of its special box to display on the tabletop, I ponder the events that unfolded for all the people involved. I always position the shepherds up front and center, closest to Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. And the three Kings further back. It’s almost a sub-conscience move these days based on the knowledge that the shepherds were the first to be invited and arrive to see the newborn King (Luke 2:15).

In his book “Good Tidings of Great Joy” William Barclay writes, “It’s a wonderful thing that the first announcement of God came to some shepherds. Shepherds were despised by the orthodox people of the day. They were unable to keep the details of the ceremonial law and they could not observe all the meticulous hand-washings and rules and regulations. Yet it was to these simple men of the fields that God’s first message came.” How ironic that the people so despicable and unaccepted by the Hebrews made it possible for them to offer animal sacrifices that made them acceptable to God. And, the flocks outside Bethlehem were not just ordinary sheep. According to Hebrew scholar Alfred Edersheim, they were the sheep to be used as sacrifices in the temple. Jesus came to earth to be the sacrificial Lamb, and the first humans to visit the newborn Christ were shepherds of the sacrificial lambs. Coincidence? I think not!  Jesus came to earth in the lowliest manner, and the announcement of His arrival was made first to the lowest of people of that time. He came that way so no one could ever say they were not worthy of His love and redemption. Revealing himself first to nameless, ordinary shepherds, He opened the door for all to walk through, regardless of their sin or position in life.

In Luke’s account of that first Christmas, the shepherds reveal to us as Christians what our response should be to the Good News. When the angels gave them instructions, they left for Bethlehem in obedience and faith. Luke 2:17 says, “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this child.” They told everybody about their life-changing experience. They became the first witnesses for Christ. And then the Bible says, “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them” (Luke 2:20). And they worshipped Him. Ordinary, simple, despised shepherds to most but not to God. And after that first Christmas, there was nothing ordinary about their lives ever again. I pray your experience has been the same since you first met Christ. Nothing is ordinary again. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.

The picture is of my Granny’s simple but precious nativity scene.   

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end” Isaiah 9:6-7

God’s faithfulness always humbles me, but sometimes I can do nothing but stand in praise and adoration for His steadfastness in my life. Last week there were several of those moments. Whether it’s an answered prayer for an ill friend’s improvement, answered prayers for our children, or comfort for a dear friend’s loss of a loved one. God is always faithful no matter the circumstances because that is who He is. “Understand, therefore, that the Lord your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands” (Deut 7:9).  In the Old Testament, God used his prophets to point his wayward people to his faithfulness despite their sometimes devastating choices. The Israelites continued in sin throughout history, but God’s grace, mercy, and faithfulness persisted. From our place in time, we know that God’s plan of redemption succeeded. The Good News arrived just as Isaiah claimed, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).  

In his book, “Why the Nativity?” David Jeremiah addresses twenty-five questions concerning the birth of Jesus, and the first question he speaks to is, “Why the Prophecies?” Christmas time lends itself to reading the gospel accounts of Jesus’s birth, but did you know there are over three hundred prophecies in the Old Testament about the promised Messiah? And all of them concerning the first coming have been fulfilled. In a time when a people most needed hope, the prophets sprinkled the Hebrew Scriptures with glimpses of a coming king that would redeem his people and call them back to God. God’s faithfulness to his people is demonstrated and recorded for us so that we would rely on Him and trust him wholeheartedly. Dr. Jeremiah writes, “Why the prophecies? They show us that even as Jesus was fully a human like us, he was also “one whose origins are from the distant past.” By reading the prophecies, we see the entire mountain range in a breathtaking glance; we behold a magnificent God who works his purposes out through the march of time, patiently but faithfully, down to the smallest detail. We know that this is a God who can be trusted, and this a Messiah who fulfills every hope in our hearts.” May this second week of Advent bring reflections of God’s lovingkindness in your life and restfulness achieved through the knowledge that he can be trusted with all things past or future, and may this bring you peace. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.

This week’s photo is of the synagogue in Nazareth. This is the place where the scrolls that included the prophecies would be read to the people.   

“The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.” Jeremiah 31:31

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday but sadly, it is over.  I know this because Christmas abounds everywhere, and no trace of Thanksgiving except the leftovers in the fridge can be found. I have always been one not to mix holidays. Until the day after Thanksgiving, it’s about the feast, and my home is decorated with pumpkins and fall leaves. Not a hint of Christmas anywhere. But then something magical happens on Thanksgiving night. We go to bed after we have had our fill of food, family, and fun, and wake up the following day, and Christmas is in the air. The awe and wonder of Christmas starts to stir in our souls.

Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, is a time of anticipation and preparation. In our culture, there is plenty to make ready for during the Christmas season, but that is not the purpose of Advent. We are to prepare our minds, hearts, and spirits to celebrate the gift of the new covenant given to us as promised by God in the book of Jeremiah. “This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt, because they broke my covenant though I was a husband to them, declares the Lord” (Jer 31:32). The words are addressed to a people in exile, far from home and bereft of hope. Not too much, unlike our situation today; this earth is not our home (Heb 13:14), and hopelessness abounds in our culture today. The reported depression and suicide rates give evidence to this sad fact. But Jeremiah speaks words of promise to the Israelites that are just as relevant today. God promises, “I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer 31:33).  The Lord says that His law will no longer be written on stone tablets but on their hearts and minds. This new covenant relies solely on God’s mercy for his wayward people; it is all God’s doing, in and through Jesus Christ.  

On a night not too different than Thanksgiving evening over two thousand years ago, the world went to bed, and a page in history had been turned the following day. A baby was born that would bring hope to this world. God is faithful to His promises even when we are not. The New Covenant arrived and was wrapped in swaddling clothes. May our hearts become more God-conscious during this Advent season, focusing on His faithfulness and yearning for his people to return to Him simply because of His great love for us. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.  

During this Advent season, I’ll be sharing some photos of the recreation of the village of Nazareth from my trip to Israel. Today’s photo is of a carpenter’s house much like where Jesus grew up.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”  Colossians 3:15

In 2009 the animated movie “Up” was released. It was a great movie that my kids loved, and it introduced the character Dug. Because the dogs wore a device around their necks, they could all talk. And thanks to Dug, a new term emerged to describe when we get off-topic or distracted. Dug is often distracted when he thinks he spots a squirrel, and consequently, he energetically shouts, SQUIRREL!, at every little movement or smell and then has to find his way back to the task at hand. This time of year lends itself to many “squirrel” moments throughout the day. At least for me, I know this is true. With the busyness of the holiday season, it can be challenging to focus on one thing. For this reason, a purposeful effort must be made daily to give thanks. If not, sadly, the days come and go, and they will be filled with “squirrel” moments, and we will forget to stop and utter a simple thank-you to God or others.

In Luke 17:11-19, the Bible tells the story of Jesus’ encounter with a group of ten lepers. The lepers did not come close to Jesus due to their disease but “stood afar off” and cried out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” He didn’t have to touch them or even speak over them. He ordered them to “Go, show yourselves to the priests,” and when they did, they were cleansed. All ten left to see the priests, but only one returned to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. It’s at this point that Luke points out that this man was a Samaritan. Because Luke brings this to our attention, we can only assume that the other nine were Jews. Then Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” Of course, Jesus knew the answers to these questions, and if it were not Jesus talking, we could be tempted to put a little snarky tone to the questions. The Bible doesn’t tell us why the other nine did not return but does show us that God expects our gratitude and thanksgiving for his many blessings. With or without a tone that point can not be missed. The only man that returned to give thanks was a foreigner; because of his faith, he was physically and spiritually healed. Jesus replied to the Samaritan: “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” The word “well” used here is the same Greek word translated saved.

Let us strive to be like the one that returned—giving thanks to God and others for gifts of grace and favor in our lives, especially this Thanksgiving season. Squirrel moments will always be a part of our lives because this world is overflowing with distractions but let’s prayerfully ask God to help us focus on becoming the one who overflows with audible thanks and gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving, and thank you for taking the time to read and ponder the Tuesday Tidbits. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit!

Today’s picture gives us a visual for the days when “squirrel” moments are too many to count, let Dug be our reminder to stop, focus and give thanks.

“God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will carry you in their arms, and you won’t hurt your feet on the stones.” Psalms 91:11-12 CEV

As the road-weary traveler approached the check-in desk, I pushed the up button on the hotel elevator. I overheard her recounting to the clerk being stuck in an Interstate closure in Virginia on I-95 for over two hours and getting lost following the detour. She was beyond exhausted and on the verge of tears. As I waited for the elevator, I expressed concern for her difficult day and learned that we had barely missed the traffic incident that caused her despair. As the elevator door closed, I lifted up thanks to God for His protection. Not just for the day’s travel mercies, but God had marked my entire week with tangible evidence of His protection of my loved ones and me. His mercies and protection were fresh on my heart.

Psalm 91 is a beautiful Psalm expressing the all-encompassing protection of God. It begins with the condition that we consciously turn to God and trust our Heavenly Father faithfully with our lives. “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust” (Psalm 91:1-2). God will “spread his wings over you and keep you secure. His faithfulness is like a shield or a city wall” (Psalm 91:4). But what about when God’s protection doesn’t feel present in our lives? The Lord says in Genesis 28:15, “What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” Even if we don’t consciously feel His protection, He is always there. Consider the story of baby Moses from the book of Exodus. His mother hid him from the Egyptians for three months, and when she couldn’t hide him any longer, she put him in a basket made of papyrus coated with tar and pitch. She placed her child among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. Hiding a baby could not have been easy; babies scream and cry. How did she know that the basket would not sink into the deadliest river in the world? The Nile is home to many species of fatal predators and snakes. But God protected Moses to complete His plan for His people. Moses’s story is merely one of the many stories within the pages of the Bible illustrating God’s protection over His people. They remind us that we live, breathe, move, and rest in God and His protection.

God doesn’t promise we won’t suffer the consequences of this fallen world. But He does promise He will be with us and is our shelter, protector, and deliverer. God is in control, forever and always. Dwelling on this nature of God will bring the peace necessary to believe in and depend on His protection. How many times today, this week, this month, and this year have you experienced God’s protection? Consider the events of your day, look for God’s protection even in the smallest moments, and realize how those times keep you under the protective umbrella of His plan for your life. And that’s your Tuesday Tidbit.

The photo from this week’s travels of the beautiful rainbow is a reminder of God’s protective promises.