Tuesday Tidings, Sept. 1, 2026

Dearest Members of Bethlehem,

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world.” -Romans 1:8

Saint Paul’s letters, or epistles, constitute a significant chunk of the New Testament. How are those letters organized, and what determines the order in which they appear?

Well, as it turns out, those faithful folks that finalized the biblical canon, began with the longest of Paul’s letters and concluded with the shortest. How about that? Romans appears first, because it contains 16 chapters of astonishingly glorious content.

And here’s a couple of other cool little tidbits: the letter was likely read to several Christian communities in the city. And while Romans is a timeless theological masterpiece, and while the text has become one of the key cornerstones of Christianity, Paul had never even met the vast majority of these believers in Rome.

Fascinating, right?

Well, that’s - as they say - just the tip of the iceberg!

This week, we will begin another season of Bible study. These studies often turn out to be some of the most impactful moments of my week. And I pray they are a blessing to those who join us in person, online, and even those who listen to the recordings of our sessions after they’ve concluded.

But this “Tidings” offers a friendly and gracious reminder that we aren’t studying scripture because it’s a solid way to fill space on the church calendar.

There’s an old hymn, the text of which was written by Martin Luther himself, that offers a lyrically stirring prayer, “Lord, keep us steadfast in your Word.” And the hymn continues, “Curb those who by deceit or sword would wrest the kingdom from your Son and bring to naught all he has done.”

Wow, all that from remaining steadfast in the Word? Welp, could be!

Scripture tells God’s story. Scripture gives us a sense of what the Divine has been and continues to be up to in the world. The Bible also reminds us of who we are as children of God and what we are called to within the context of these lives of faith.

In the sacred text is wisdom, meaning, encouragement, and the insights that keep us all firmly rooted in the source of everything good. Holy Writ connects us to the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all things.

And to think, all we need to do is crack the cover, open the app, or listen to a lector on Sunday morning to have our lives transformed in lasting ways.

May God bless us as we enter into another season of exploration, learning, and growth for all ages!

Question for reflection: Has there been a particular passage that has provided a pivotal insight in your life?

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Dan

Gracious Lord, we pray that you would bless us with a sense of just how important our daily efforts really are, and also bless us with moments of genuine rest and renewal that we might faithfully and vigorously invest in our service to you in every season of our lives. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.