The Plumbline

Lord, you give me all that I need. You support me. You give me my share. My share is wonderful. My inheritance is very beautiful. I praise the Lord because he taught me well. Even at night he put his instructions deep inside my mind. I always remember that the Lord is with me. He is here, close by my side, so nothing can defeat me. (Psalm 16:5-8) It is good for us to remember who is right there with us, even when the hardest of things come to pass and we see no way out. God hasn't ever abandoned his children, and he isn't about to start now! We have ALL that we need to overcome whatever we face - we may not always see it immediately, but we have MORE than we need! As this psalm draws to a close, the words of our psalmist really reveal his heart: "You will teach me the right way to live. Just being with you will bring complete happiness." He desires God to teach him the right way to live - to help him with his choices. He wants his 'happine...

In Christ's family, there is no room for division - we just cannot set one group or person up against another.  No room for slave or free - but for both.  No room for male or female - but for both.  No room for Jew or Gentile - but for both.  All are equal in Christ - all are in common relationship WITH Jesus. None of us gets into relationship WITH Christ by any unique means, nor are we held closer to his heart by anything we can claim as our "right" or "position".  I like how scripture describes it - as long as the heir (that is us) is a minor, there is no advantage he or she possesses over the slave in the household.  Legally, the minor may "own" the inheritance, but he or she still has to come of age in order to inherit it.  In the meantime, there is this "maturation" process which occurs under the tutelage of an appointed tutor and administrator of the inheritance. The purpose of the tutor or the administrator is to guide, direct and dete...