The Plumbline

Deep wells are necessary here in Arizona because anything near the surface actually dries up pretty quickly unless it is fed from a very deep and refreshing source. The tendency to water only the surface of our ground actually doesn't promote deeper root systems, but a more superficial rooting. The trees, shrubs, and grasses with only these superficial roots often don't make it for the long haul of summer because they have nothing to draw from when the intensity of heat comes. We want to have deep wells to draw from, as we will face many a circumstance in life that turns the heat up more than a little in our lives. Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart; a wise person draws from the well within. (Proverbs 20:5) There is a tendency to "over-think" things today. We "work" a solution until it is what some call "fool-proof" and then we might take the steps to put it into action. The problem is that none of us is really all that what we ...

O True God, You are my God,  the One whom I trust . I seek You  with every fiber of my being.  In this dry and weary land with no water in sight, my soul is dry and longs for You. My body aches for You,  for Your presence .  (Psalm 63:1 VOICE) Do you ever experience those "dry places" in your walk with Jesus? You know - the times it seems like you read the Bible, but you just don't seem to "hear" him talking to you through it; or you find yourself less than enthused with the sermon, mind wandering to the grocery list.  I think we all get a little "parched" once in a while from the "dry places" we walk through, but what does being "parched" do for us physically?  We look for relief, don't we? We seek refreshment - we want water! Could it be the "dry places" we all experience are really a precursor to something amazingly satisfying just around the corner? Hunger and thirst create a sense of "yearning" in ou...

We all have those moments where we wonder if God has anything "special" for us - as though just being the object of his heart's desire weren't enough!  Those moments usually come when we have seen someone else around us really take a huge step, get awesomely blessed beyond measure, or realize some fantastic outcome as a result of their course of action.  We just cannot help but think, "What about me, God?"  It is just "natural" for us to kind of zero in on the fact we aren't doing or feeling "something special" at that moment, so we get to thinking God might have forgotten us, moved on without us, or just plain doesn't have much in store for us.  There is nothing further from the truth!  God cannot forget us - we are the apple of his eye.  He doesn't move on without us - although he might move a little to tug at our heart to get moving in the direction he is heading, but he doesn't abandon us.  He doesn't have the sam...

Wise words come from people of understanding.  People of understanding are able to speak of a situation in a completely different manner because they grasp the meaning of the situation.  The fool just cannot get the same grasp on the circumstances of life - they might babble on a lot, but the things they speak really don't bring clarity, or shed much light on the matter.  A fool cannot size up the situation because a fool seldom learns from his past experiences.  As if to point out the difference between the fool and the wise, the writer of Proverbs pens these words:   The road to life is a disciplined life;   ignore correction and you’re lost for good. (10:17 MSG)  In order to walk in the pathway of life, we must accept discipline (correction).  The fool has a hard time with this - so they repeat the mistakes they've made over and over again.  If we want to live "rich" lives, we need to embrace discipline - for discipline is the road to tru...

One of my favorite psalms is the 104th chapter.  In recounting the tremendous work of God in the creation and protection of all he made, we find an outline of the tremendous care God takes with each portion of his creation.  He is not content to just "make", then sit back and see what will become - he nurtures and sometimes "coaxes" until creation comes into its fullness with his tender care.  As I was driving on vacation in Tennessee this past week, one of the things which caught my eye was the water coming from deep inside the rocks on the side of the mountain.  This was not water cascading from the top of a mountain stream, but coming from deep within the rock - almost from the middle of the rock formation.  It brought to mind the passage below, when David pens the words, "You water the mountains from your heavenly cisterns; earth is supplied with plenty of water." You started the springs and rivers,   sent them flowing among the hills.   All the ...