The Plumbline

Virgil was a Roman poet of long ago, but these words remind us of the importance of considering where it is we both sow and reap: " Consider what each soil will bear, and what each refuses ." The type of soil is important because it directly correlates to what will be either accepted and produce, or what will be rejected, leaving good seed to become withered or choked out in time. What is the soil of your heart really like? At this very moment, would you say your heart's soil is well-cultivated, capable of bearing a bountiful harvest? Or would you say there are portions of your heart that haven't embraced anything worthwhile in a good long while? It could be we need to listen to what God is telling us about the condition of our hearts - because the good seed will never be embraced and produce a good harvest if the soil is never prepared! Can papyrus grow tall on a dry land? Can reeds grow without water? No, they will dry up before harvest. They will be too small to ...

As a parent, we all have those moments when we are less than patient with our children. As caregivers to the elderly, we can experience those similar moments. Regardless of our 'age' in Jesus, he never seems to become impatient with us. God is immensely patient with his children. He gives us space - to make our own choices. He gives us time - to come to our own conclusions. He gives us these things because he knows that in order to have our heart, he must have it yielded willingly - we must 'want to' yield our hearts to him. God is infinitely patient in his waiting for us to turn from our sin - but he will not wait forever. Sometimes, he gives us gentle, but quite firm nudges to cause us to see our sin. When he does, remember that it is out of his immense love for us that he has done so. You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think tha...