The Plumbline

When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face. The “worst” is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. (Lamentations 3:28-32) Life isn't always going to go our way. In fact, we will likely face more than one hiccup in our day today. When hiccups come, how do you handle them? Do you complain like I do sometimes? Do you say life isn't fair like I do at times? Do you just want to escape it all like I do on occasion? If you didn't notice it as I asked those questions, I don't always embrace what I am going through - there are times I want to find the quickest and easiest way to be 'out of the mess'. Life is heavy and hard to take - sometimes more frequently than we might like. When we face these 'hiccups&#

I bet you could almost guess what my "Q" List would hold this morning.  There were a variety of possibilities, such as quickness to respond to God's voice and leading, or possibly the quality of time and energies you expend toward the things God desires.  I chose just one word to focus on this morning:  Quietness.  For most of us, this comes as a bit of a hard thing because we are used to "noise" in our lives.  We are inundated with all kinds of things which add background and foreground noise.  Background noise is there, almost unnoticed, until it is gone.  Foreground noise is evident, with it even getting our attention in the here and now.  Yet noise is just that - noise.  Noise is really something which just confuses the clarity of that which is really trying to come through!  So, as we focus this morning on our Q-List, let's begin by thinking about the things which are really "just there" creating confusion in our lives - things which once remo

Let praise cascade off my lips;  after all, you've taught me the truth about life!     And let your promises ring from my tongue;  every order you've given is right.   Put your hand out and steady me  since I've chosen to live by your counsel.  (Psalm 119:171-173 The Message) Have you heard the term, "Talk is cheap"?  It means it is easier to talk ABOUT something than to do it!  Another meaning would be it is easier to talk ABOUT someone than to do something for them.  We could say talk is "cheap" in many respects - - if our words aren't a sincere revelation of our motives (inner heart), they are simply have no real "force" behind them. I have friends who speak continuously when we are together.  Other simply are happy to sit and enjoy times of quiet with me, occasionally bringing some discussion into the quiet, but it is not the main "theme" of our time together.  I was once told we could "gauge" the &q