The Plumbline

I love God because he listened to me, listened as I begged for mercy. He listened so intently as I laid out my case before him. Death stared me in the face, hell was hard on my heels. Up against it, I didn’t know which way to turn; then I called out to God for help: “Please, God!” I cried out. “Save my life!” God is gracious—it is he who makes things right, our most compassionate God. God takes the side of the helpless; when I was at the end of my rope, he saved me. (Psalm 116:1-2) It is both heart-warming and a little bit of a bummer that we have to come to the end of our ropes to find God waiting on us, isn't it? I wonder if there is a lesson in finding ourselves in the place where we feel totally helpless - not hopeless, but helpless. In other words, we find ourselves in extreme need, but don't know how to meet that need anymore in our own efforts. I think God is right there just waiting for us to get to that very point - because when we finally admit we 'cannot', h...

It is always good to have a "recipe" or "instructions" to follow - especially when you are trying to create something you are not familiar with - new experiences demand solid instructions in order to not get things messed up along the way. The same is true in our spiritual walk - we have not walked this way before, so we need the "recipe" or "instructions" for how it is that we are to live. Today we will explore a couple of important principles - contrasting the way we should live against the way we often choose to live. Probably above all, we need to understand what it is that we are choosing to have "made of our lives" - it should be to be counted wise and to build a reputation that is rock-solid. Reputation is how we are known - it reflects either the wisdom or foolishness of our choices. Some people refer to a reputation as the "character" of a man or woman. Today's 'recipe' or 'instructions' is really ...

One of the things I really appreciate about David, the man who was acclaimed to have a "heart after God's", is his determination of will.  David faced many a "giant" in his day - not physical giants, but indeed many giants spiritually, emotionally, and in relationships.  Whether you consider his response as one of the youngest in his family, obediently pursuing the tasks his father assigned him as keeper of the flocks, alone on the backside of the grazing lands for many days and nights, or his position as the king of Israel, the ruler of a great nation of people with wavering intent when it came to serving their God, he exhibits a determination of will which comes through in each account recorded.  I have to wonder if this might just be one of the reasons we find God reflecting David's life and worship in the scriptures.  Perhaps there is a lesson or two we can glean from this "will" determination!  David could be at the lowest point in his life f...

Give:  to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; to place in someone's care; provide or contribute.  There are various ways we are called to "give" of ourselves everyday - from out time to our talent, from our money to our mentoring, from our treasure to our trust.  The scripture is plain about the attitude which should be behind our giving.  The attitude we exhibit may not be the genuine one we feel, though.  If you don't believe me, remember when you put the last "gift" in the offering plate at church or wrote out the last donation check to the local charity you supported.  Now, honestly, was your heart "moved" in that moment of giving, or was it kind of just because you felt a little tug on the emotions?  Most of the time, we give because we are "moved upon" by our emotions - so we need to make sure our emotions are in line with what God has in mind, right?  Why do you think there are so many commercials with sad looki...

In the scriptures, we often hear man spoken of as God's workmanship.  A workman has a particular skill or talent which becomes evident in what is produced as a result of their work.  I think this is a pretty fair way to describe what God is - the one who creates not only who we are, but what becomes of our lives.  In the King James version, there is a text about us being God's workmanship which just speaks volumes to me:   For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (KJV)   This same text is translated in one of the paraphrase versions of the Bible as: God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.  (Ephesians 2:10 GW) I kind of like the paraphrase because it points out the meaning of the whole "ordained that we should" part!  God has created us - not to live our own independe...

The other day, a friend asked me if she could ask me a question.  From the tone of her voice, I thought maybe we were going to have a "tough" conversation - like the kind where two people begin to reveal a little of their heart.  Finding the parking lot of a local retail place a little odd to begin a "deep conversation", I still said, "Okay".  One question was all she asked, and I have been thinking on it for days!  Plain and simple, here's what she asked:  "Why don't you use turn signals?"    I immediately said, "I do!"  She informed me I indeed did NOT.   Okay, now if this is not an earth-shattering question to you, don't get your undies all in a knot here - it was to me!  What I realized was the "value" of what she was asking me - this innocent question opened my eyes to the importance of the "signals" we give! Look well at my handpicked servant;  I love him so much, take such delight in him.   I...

15   When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her.   16   And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!” (Ruth 2:15-16) Yesterday we began to explore the intentional work of God to provide more than we have need of - allowing us to experience what he has provided ON PURPOSE in our lives.  Ruth was in a rare situation when she was gathering the leftover grains from the fields of Boaz.  She recognized that what was left was more than what most harvesters would leave.  When she came into the realization that there was grain being left ON PURPOSE, she was humbled and felt terribly unworthy of this man's favor. We often feel the same way about God's favor in our lives - we see ourselves as unworthy and therefore, we resist the favor he extends.  The fact is that God has placed ans...

15  When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her.  16  And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!” (Ruth 2:15-16) In the book of Ruth, we find a story of Naomi (a Jewish woman of the tribe of Judah) left all alone in a foreign country during a time of drought in Israel.  The misfortune of losing her sons and husband had fallen to her in their sojourn to find a place to wait out the great drought.  She has two daughter-in-laws, Orpah and Ruth.  When Naomi heard that the drought had ended in Judah, she yearned to return to her homeland.  Orpah did not want to leave her family, nor her home of her youth, so she stayed behind.  Ruth declared boldly, "Where you go, I will go!"  So, off they went to Naomi's home town. The story continues with Ruth doing what most widow...