The Plumbline

Finishing is better than starting.  Patience is better than pride. (Ecclesiastes 7:8) Most of us like the 'finishing' better than the 'starting' part. Why? It means we have reached an end and if the starting was hard, the finishing could be a reward of sorts. We view the finish line as somewhat of a relief, while the starting line can be filled with all manner of anxious thought, fears about what isn't known, and hard steps. We might not be ready for the 'starting line' today, but when we 'begin' something with God, we are sure to appreciate the reward at the 'finish line'. The parts in between the start and the finish are what require us to have patience. Maybe that is why it makes the start so hard for us at times. We don't want the 'middle part' of the journey as much as we want the 'finishing part'. The stuff that happens in the middle part of the journey is what makes the journey worthwhile, though. It isn't just ...

Are you one of those individuals with unfinished projects tucked away here and there throughout your house? Maybe something about your house is unfinished and you have been just 'living with it' for a while because you lack the resources or energy to get it finished. We may even have things in our lives that we'd like to see changed, but the completion of that change just seems to be stalled. God, high above, sees far below - right into those areas of our lives that are 'started', but not quite 'finished' yet! We may not "see" him, but he sees us! If nothing else, the fact that God even notices humankind should bring us to our knees! Be quite clear on this - "no matter the distance, he knows everything about us". Nothing escapes his notice - nothing is overlooked for his intervention. Too many times we come to the conclusion that we are in the thick of things all alone - no one noticing the mess we are in. Just the opposite is true - God ...