The Plumbline

Respect the Lord and be humble. Then you will have wealth, honor, and true life. (Proverbs 22:4) If you have wondered what it takes to live a "blessed life", then you have to look no further than the examples we find in scripture. Yes, there is a whole lot of tragedy and suffering recorded in those pages, but all are written so we can live a blessed life. We are to learn much from our suffering - to be made stronger and grow in our relationship with Jesus and others. A blessed life is one in which the Lord receives the right placement and the right honor. When we are humble enough to acknowledge we have need of the Savior's oversight and work in our lives, we begin the journey toward true blessing. As long as we hold onto the reins of our lives, we won't realize the blessing of being in his protective care. It is much more work to hold on than it is to let go. As "hard" as we may think it is to "let go" of those reins, it is much, much harder...

Honor the Lord, you heavenly beings; honor the Lord for his glory and strength. Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. (Psalm 29:1-2) Honor is something we give to another, but we should never seek it for ourselves. When it comes to God, we first recognize he is worthy of all honor, then we 'ascribe' it to him - we declare it in our minds, hearts, and even our actions. Unlike us humans, he actually deserves that honor! Unlike humans, his 'right' for honor never fades and it is not 'circumstantial'. In other words, he deserves it because he is always consistent, never changing, and divine through and through.  How or when do we honor God in our lives? I think it could begin the minute we begin to speak with him about anything at all. When we consider the words of prayer, are they filled with honor? Do we exalt his name and honor him with our words? Even our songs should bring honor to his name. This is why it ...