The Plumbline

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. (Desmond Tutu) The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. (Psalm 121:7-8) We might not feel like much 'watchfulness' is occurring at times, life spiraling out of control, things happening outside of our influence, but definitely influencing our lives in one way or another. What do we do when things start to spiral? Do we immediately jump into the worrying mode, fear creeping in, feeling a bit intimidated by the moment? Do we lift a quick prayer to God for his help and assurances? When all around us is in chaos, it is sometimes hard to remember God keeps watch - no matter the circumstances! Light despite all the darkness - isn't that what Tutu said? It sounds a bit like our Psalm today, doesn't it? We may come and go, today and in the future, and God's care over us will never be disrupted. A disruption i...

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. (James 1:12) Woodrow Wilson reminded us, "The man who is swimming against the stream knows the strength of it." It is often when we are caught smack dab in the middle of the current of life's drama that we first recognize the 'forcefulness' of where we are being 'directed'. We don't realize we are being 'sucked in' until we are squarely caught up in the mess life is handing out at that moment. Once we are caught in the current of the drama, it is much harder to get free of it than it is to prepare for the 'current' ahead of time.  We all know life comes at us at speeds in excess of our perceived ability to 'keep up with them'. We feel overwhelmed at times - life is challenging on most good days - ramp up the challenges and it is easy to get caught up in the cur...

It was the late Woodrow Wilson who said, " The man who is swimming against the stream knows the strength of it. " I imagine there are more than a few individuals in my circle of influence today who feel like they are swimming against the current - toughing it out and trying to battle to the other side. A long time ago, I learned if you'd 'tie off' on one side of the river to a sturdy tree or large rock, you could use the momentum of the river's current to carry you across to the other side, all while still tethered to the anchor on the side you were abandoning. That tether could serve as the guide to help others get across, because you would solidly secure it to the opposite side of the strong current's flow on the other riverbank. The next behind you could then 'tether on' and be guided safely across. Many times we are the ones taking the first risk to cross those troublesome currents of life, but as long as our anchor is secure, we can prepare th...