The Plumbline

Edmund Burke said, "You can never plan the future by the past." The more we count on the past to define us or our life's path, the harder it will be for us to move forward. Why? The past cannot be relived, and the present is ever-changing. Burke also reminds us, "He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper." Our antagonist is our helper. Could that mean that the 'negative stuff' in our past is actually helping us to grow closer to Christ in our present? I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:12-14) Press on to possess. That really sums it all up. We need to 'press on' if...

I used to enjoy watching the re-runs of the TV series, "The Waltons". The simpler times of 'pioneer life' have their intrigue - if not immediately, at least when you are in the midst of a traffic jam on the highway or a huge delay at the airport! The struggles to remain true to their convictions when times were quickly changing around them is a reminder to me of the speed of change demanding our attention today - change happens at the speed of light these days, or so it seems. What touches me the most in these shows about pioneer life is their simple trust - in their neighbors, in their family, and in their God. One of the characters on the show, Ike Godsey, is the store owner and local postmaster. His store is never really seen as what we'd call "impressive" by today's standards, but it always seemed he could get his hands on whatever anyone was looking to obtain - even if he had to special order it. Sometimes we forget we have a great big God w...

I know I begin a lot of things thinking the project won't be all that hard, then smack-dab in the middle I discover just how hard it is! The things I thought I'd just sail on through are usually the ones I find a few hiccups along the way that delay my completing them! Sometimes we have a tendency to want to just give up. We start out well, but then we "peter out" somewhere down the road. There are times in life when we need a "pace setter" to keep us on track - someone to help us regroup when the hiccups come and we find things harder than we imagined. In moments of frustration, disillusionment, or anxiety, we need the steadiness and vision of one who sees more of the picture than we do. It is refreshing to know we have such a "pace setter" in our lives - God himself! It also amazes me just how many times we allow other people or other things to set the pace in our lives! Just think—you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God...