The Plumbline

  So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. (Galatians 5:1) We humans have come to count on many things that are temporary, haven't we? Our health, bank account balance, retirement funds, the weather, our job - the list goes on. We might think all will go 'as planned' but when something we are 'counting on' doesn't abide by the plan, we panic, don't we? We have become more dependent on those temporary things than we are on God. Christ has set us free, not to serve any other master in our lives, but to enter into deep and personal connection with him. When we place our trust in him, we aren't just getting 'fire insurance' that keeps us out of hell, we are receiving a fully pardoned life of freedom. That doesn't mean we become entangled again with all those things that held us captive before, or that we turn again to all those temporary things we trusted in at one time....

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. (I Peter 2:4-5) We all experience some form of rejection on occasion, so lest we think we are enduring the worst rejection possible, let us not forget the extreme rejection Jesus endured. A life lived well will be subject to some form of criticism and even rejection - the ones doing the criticizing just cannot live with their own choices in the face of the ones we have made, so they ridicule and reject us. It isn't a bad thing when they reject us because it actually shows we are living in such a way that they are convicted just by the example we set. Rejected by people but chosen by God. We might admit that being rejected by others is kind of ha...

Christ encourages you, and his love comforts you. God’s Spirit unites you, and you are concerned for others. Now...Live in harmony by showing love for each other. Be united in what you think, as if you were only one person. Don’t be jealous or proud, but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves. Care about them as much as you care about yourselves and think the same way that Christ Jesus thought... (Philippians 2:1-5 CEV) I don't deal with ambiguity very well, because I think life should have clear direction. Ambiguity is the uncertainty of meaning or intention - the purpose is simply unclear. Where there is lack of clarity, I seek it out. This is my nature - I "uncover" what is not said, or what doesn't immediately reveal itself - the implied or intended meaning. Much of my difficulty with ambiguity comes in not knowing the intent of something. When we are dealing with ambiguity for a long period of time, we often need some encouragement and c...