The Plumbline

Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for I trust in You. Teach me the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You. Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You], for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. (Psalm 143:8, 10) I trust in You. Are these words true of your life - really true? If we still take the reins most of the time, I daresay our 'trust level' is quite low! If we find ourselves leaning in when we understand what life demands, just as frequently as we do when we don't understand what is required of us, then we are moving closer to 'trusting God fully' and our own worldly wisdom a lot less. The way we 'should' walk often differs from the way we choose to walk, doesn't it? We start out well, but then there is some misstep along the way that takes us down a different path than we intended. God's ears are open to us asking for direction! Even when we have taken our own path. Our soul must...

While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart. (Francis of Assisi) People who work for evil make trouble, but those who plan for peace bring happiness. (Proverbs 12:20) What is your 'plan' moving forward? It doesn't really matter that you have made a mess of the plan up to this point - it matters what you will do moving forward. Our planning is important - God's plans are more so. What God plans can change the heart of a man - our plans merely change 'things' around us that may affect our heart, but rarely does it change our heart for good. We need God's plans worked out - especially when we have made a mess of the plans we imagined! Plan for peace - get your heart right with God - them move on. The more we turn our plans over to God, the more we may find those plans have been affecting our heart (our inner man) in some ways that have actually kept us from realizing all God has for us. Sometimes we need t...

Voice your allegiance - we can do this for many causes, right? There are animal rights groups asking for support all the time - to save the whales, rescue animals from environments that have not provided well for their needs, and provide foster homes for rescued animals. In days gone by some may remember pledging their allegiance to God and country in the form of the Pledge of Allegiance we said in our classrooms every morning. Still others will recount giving their allegiance to any number of 'activist' groups to further women's rights or get equal pay for equal work. Causes abound and allegiance can be granted or rescinded quite easily, but there is one 'allegiance' we need more than any other, and if we want to make wise choices with our allegiance, this one should never be rescinded! So if you believe deep in your heart that God raised Jesus from the pit of death and if you voice your allegiance by confessing the truth that “Jesus is Lord,” then you will be sa...