The Plumbline

Most days I am just happy to end the day feeling like my behavior came reasonably close to my beliefs!  I set out with lofty goals, but over the course of the day, I veer a little (and sometimes a lot) from how I hoped to act, wished to respond, or chose to think about a matter.  In the end, I find myself evaluating my actions, seeing those which just did not match my beliefs, and then find myself in dialogue with God (once again) seeking his grace and forgiveness. Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and  your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.  (Romans 14:22-23 The Message) I kind of doubt if I am i...

Have you ever run up a debt on a credit card?  It may not have been all that much in terms of financial debt, but when you ran up the debt, how did it make you feel?  It is likely the "emotion" you attached to the spending frenzy was one of being "obligated".  You now are indebted to another who extended you the credit.  Some of us have a tendency to view "love" in a way which leaves us feeling "indebted" to another - always trying to "pay back" the debt we "owe".   Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don't sleep with another person's spouse, don't take someone's life, don't take what isn't yours, don't always be wanting what you don't have, and any other "don't" you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You...

Have you ever thought of God as "giving you breathing room"?  I never really thought of it this way, but our devotional times are kind of "breathing room".  The time we take to settle ourselves long enough to reflect on God's word and then to begin to allow it to impact us is also providing us with some "breathing room" from the hub-bub of everyday life.   3-5  You've always given me breathing room, a place to get away from it all, a lifetime pass to your safe-house, an open invitation as your guest.  You've always taken me seriously, God, made me welcome among those who know and love you. (Psalm 61:3-5 The Message) For some time in my life, I looked as my devotional times as "required".  It was taught to me as a "baby Christian" - take time each day to get "quiet" with God.  In those moments, I was to pray, read the Word, and if possible, get something out of the time!  Allegedly - as was reported to me as a...

Occasionally as I am watching some news story on the TV, I will observe people being interviewed after some horrendous crime.  The news reporter will interview them for their "perspective" on the criminal's history, their "impression" of the criminal's activity, etc.  I always want to just shake my head when I see these individuals who come out of the woodwork, claiming some  acquaintance  with the criminal.  They live six streets over in a totally different subdivision, never worked or went to school with them, but "they knew them well".  Silliness!  I wonder how God feels about some of the reports we give of "knowing him well"? Here's how we can be sure that we know God in the right way: Keep his commandments.   If someone claims, "I know him well!" but doesn't keep his commandments, he's obviously a liar. His life doesn't match his words. But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God...

I wonder how many times we think we are building "good stuff" in our lives, only to look back and see how little we actually "built".  We always seem to think the endeavors of our lives are totally worthwhile - but in retrospect, how many of them really produced what we originally believed possible?  The most amazing thing happens though when we set out on an endeavor with God - usually MORE than we believed possible happens! If  God  doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks.   If  God  doesn't guard the city,  the night watchman might as well nap.   It's useless to rise early and go to bed late,  and work your worried fingers to the bone.   Don't you know he enjoys  giving rest to those he loves? (Psalm 127:1-2 The Message) I have certainly done my share of "shack building".  I am not a skilled builder, by any means.  I can drive a nail, even cut some wood, but I don't understan...

A friend once asked me to write a book.  The idea of having to put into words my life experiences almost intimidated me.  Yet, when I began to really think about it, we all are writing a book of sorts.  We might call it the "book of decision".  You see, each action we take is somehow "writing the next chapter" of our lives.  Our response to today's events go a long way in determining the events of tomorrow.  We had a horrific tragedy less than a quarter mile from our home this week - four adults and one child less than two years old killed in an apparent murder / suicide.  The events of those few moments in time have such a ripple-effect on all the families involved.  Ex-spouses, the remaining brothers and sisters, grandparents, and even their neighbors who knew them.  The events of that one "chapter" open up many other chapters of tragedy, loss, and grief for many more.  The same is true of our obedience - although it seems to us as les...

We all have times when we feel ready to face the world head on, then in a moment's flash of time, our brains begin to ask the question, "Who's gonna go with me?"  We falter for just a moment or two as we realize if we go it alone, we are a sitting duck.  If we have someone at our side, we are less likely to have to share the brunt of anything "negative" on our own.  The opposite is also true - when we are accompanied on our journey, we share the joy and glory with the one accompanying us!  We all need someone - the fight is just made a little easier by the companions we choose in the battle! 10-11  Who will take me to the thick of the fight?   Who'll show me the road to Edom?   You aren't giving up on us, are you, God?  R efusing to go out with our troops?   12-13  Give us help for the hard task;  human help is worthless.  In God we'll do our very best;  he'll flatten the opposition for good.  (Psalm ...