The Plumbline

Mom surprised me the other night with her quick response.  It was nearing bedtime, I leaned forward in my chair, simply stating, "Well...."  In quick retort, she spouted, "It is all wet inside there!"  Ha!  I didn't even know she knew the saying!  You know the one I am talking about...someone says "Well" and you respond "It is all wet down there, and rocky, too!"  Today's lesson is a "well" of a different sort. Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart;  a wise person draws from the well within. (Proverbs 20:5 The Message) So many times we look for answers to the question, "Is this right for me?"  In trying to reason out the response, we sometimes find ourselves drawing from "the well" within - the knowledge we have "saved up" over time.  It comes from having experienced things, storing up the "cause and effect" knowledge which comes from experience.  For instance, we exper...

5  Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart;    a wise person draws from the well within.  (Proverbs 20:5 The Message) 5  Counsel in the heart of man is like water in a deep well, but a man of understanding draws it out. (Proverbs 20:5 The Amplified Bible) The digger of a well knows that once water is "hit", he may have to go a little deeper to get a "full-flow" of water.  The best is often hidden the deepest.  The well within is something that must be "tapped" in order to be of benefit to the one who needs its refreshment.  The deeper the well, the fresher the water.  The deeper we "tap into" Jesus, the fresher the source will be of all that we need in dry times. Dry times are as assured as is the fact that life will one day be over for all of us.  We experience the dryness for lots of reasons - but all have the same end in mind - that we might "tap into" Jesus just a little deeper.  To really understand wha...

  1-3   God , my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.  4  Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side.  Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.   5  You serve me a six-course dinner       right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.  6  Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of  God  for the rest of my life. (Psalm 23) Most of us are familiar with the words of this Psalm because we have heard them at a funeral or during some other time of distressing occurrence.  Yet, these words are significant in times of "life", not just in time...

Jesus said, "Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little rest." For there was constant coming and going. They didn't even have time to eat. (Mark 6:31) 16  The LORD’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field.  17  The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.  18  My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.  (Isaiah 32:16-18) We live such busy lives, pursuing all kinds of avenues of interest and demand, seldom realizing just how much of our bodies, souls, and spirits are being depleted in the process.  Our invitation today is to come into a place of refreshing - the place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells.  It is there that we will find the refreshment of body, soul and spirit. To be refreshed means that we find new vigor or energy by rest.  In our first passag...