The Plumbline

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 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 NLT) Where does your help come from when you are pinned in on every side, or you are just about to go under because you have assumed way too much for your day? If you are like me, you have a tendency to say, "I've got this", knowing that you will likely be very, very exhausted when you finally finish whatever it is. You set out with great intentions to actually accomplish a great deal, only to find you fizzle out somewhere because your physica...

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” (Psalm 91:14-16 NLT) Those who 'shelter' under his wings will be assured of not only protection, but rescue when they need it. Protection is remaining out of trouble - rescue is needed when we pursue trouble or find it pursuing us! We might not realize just how often we pursue trouble, blindly just going in the wrong direction, trusting our 'instincts' or 'intuition' instead of our God's inner voice warning us not to pursue that course. There we are - "IN TROUBLE" - and here he comes - into our trouble, to rescue and hold secure once again. How many times do we have to be 'in trouble' before we realize that it isn't the right place for us to be? If you are anything like me, you have...

Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud. (Psalm 138:6) The Lord's care is upon us - we may be among those who proclaim all manner of success and greatness, but all greatness comes from within God's heart and the change he makes within ours. The humble have submitted their hearts to God. They know their purpose is found in him - not the successes of this world. Scripture reminds us God actually 'opposes' the proud, but he gives abundance grace to the humble. We should never put ourselves in a place of being opposed by God. His omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience will always be greater than the proud can endure. Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me. (Psalm 138:7) The power of God actually sets us up for 'success' against our enemies and every opposing force that attempts to come against us...

The heavens keep telling the wonders of God, and the skies declare what he has done. Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next. They don’t speak a word, and there is never the sound of a voice. Yet their message reaches all the earth , and it travels around the world. In the heavens a tent is set up for the sun. It rises like a bridegroom and gets ready like a hero eager to run a race. It travels all the way across the sky. Nothing hides from its heat. (Psalm 19:1-6) We might be amazed with each sunrise, sunset, and the phases of the moon! Why? They are simply doing what they were designed to do - to keep telling the wonders of God and declaring boldly what he has done! They declare his creative power and his ability to sustain all things with nothing more than the sound of his voice! This should give us cause to pause for just a few moments to consider his greatness and to bask in his brilliance! When we think of the sun and the moon, we are...

Lord, your word continues forever in heaven. You are loyal forever and ever. You made the earth, and it still stands. All things continue today because of your laws. Like slaves, they all obey you. (Psalm 119:89-91) God's care and watchfulness keep all things in this state of continual renewal. It is a little appreciated fact that God's breath animates the world around us, keeping the things in alignment within the universe, making the tides swell and recede. The very watchfulness of God should give us encouragement in the dark times when we think there is nothing going as it should, or the high and impenetrable walls of stress are closing in around us. There is nothing which exists or continues in its existence (and this includes us), which doesn't do so because he has made it possible for it to exist! Like it or not, suffering is part of life. We are not exempt from the troubles of life that occur by being inside a human body subject to the aging process. We aren'...