The Plumbline

Blessed  [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature]  are the pure in heart  [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character],  for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8) It is one thing to live an 'upright' life by this world's standards - it is quite another to allow God to establish the standards for one's life. When God set out his standards in his Word, he was giving us a framework by which we were to conduct our daily affairs, as well as come into and enjoy the relationship we have with him. Thinking of a standard as a guideline or a boundary, we can begin to imagine how important it is for us to have the right 'footprint' to follow. In my woodworking set-up, I have some 'templates' that I can place over the wood I am cutting, allowing me to reproduce a certain design each time. In much the same way, God's Word is a template by which he can reproduce his design in our lives time and time again. Purity of heart isn't achieved easil...