The Plumbline

How much longer, Lord, will you forget about me? Will it be forever? How long will you hide? How long must I be confused and miserable all day? How long will my enemies keep beating me down? (Psalm 13:1-2) If you have ever asked, "Are we there yet?", you know the question is not one of patience, but of impatience. We want all the good stuff, but we don't like the time between the vision and its fulfillment. The vision is easy for us to comprehend, but all the stuff that happens between the vision and the fulness of its completion is much harder for us to understand. We want to 'be there', but God has some work to do in us, around us, or through us before we 'get there'. In those 'in between' times while we await the fulfillment of the vision, it is not uncommon for us to begin to question if we got the vision right. In other words, we begin to question God's purpose in the wait. We think he has withdrawn from us, is hiding himself from us, o

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. (I Corinthians 2:9-12) What can you imagine with your mind's eye? Is it something grand and glorious, or are those imaginations limited by what you perceive to be your 'talents', 'abilities', or 'treasures'? We sometimes 'dream big', but when it comes to actually believing in what we see with our mind's eye, we discount the possibility of it ever coming to pass. It isn't that we are to 'dream' things into existence, but when God plants a vision within

“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. (John 9:30-34) It is a rather long story, but I will shorten it a bit for us today. A man born blind just 'happened' to be sitting by the roadside as Jesus came by one day. Jesus made mud with a little spit and some dirt, rubbed it on his eyes, told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, and he came back with his total sight restored. He tells the Pharisees and religious leaders, but they are aghast that anyone would do such a thing on the Sabbath. They send for his parents, even though he was a grown man,

Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction. (Psalm 29:18) Many of us think of 'vision' as the ability to see with our eyes. When it is not there, such as when we have been plunged into darkness by someone covering our eyes with a blindfold, we grope our way through life, don't we? We have to rely upon our other senses or else we will stumble. How well do you move in this state of total darkness? Are your movements as fluid as normal? Not likely - you probably take shorter steps, feeling your way to make sure your footing is solid before you even take the next one. I think we sometimes approach our spiritual life this same way - with a "blindfold" of sorts making us "stumble along" with uncertainty and a lack of vision. Vision is more than what we see with our eyes - it is what we hope in our hearts, understand with our minds, and sense in our spirit. Perception and discernment - t

We all have those 'aha' moments when we realize what we 'thought' was being said was not at all about us! We somehow "think" someone is talking about us, so when we are asked our opinion based on just a little bit of knowledge of the gist of the conversation, we begin to launch into some answer which makes us look great (at least in our own eyes) and based on what we 'think' someone has been talking about? Then, as quickly as we began to speak, we find ourselves caught off-guard when we realize we had no clue what they were talking about or asking us! There are times when someone is bragging on someone else and we just assume (unwisely) they must be talking about us! That little bit of 'mistaken' truth leaves us more than a little embarrassed to find out that everything others think and talk about isn't actually all about us - even though we 'thought' maybe it was. Haman found himself in just such a spot - entering the king's c

Vision - most of us think of this as the ability to see.  When it is not there, such as when we have been plunged into darkness by someone covering our eyes with a blindfold, we grope our way through life, don't we?  It is as though we have to rely upon our other senses or else we will stumble.  How well do you move in this state?  Are your movements as fluid as normal?  Not likely.  In fact, you probably take shorter steps, feeling your way to make sure your footing is solid before you even take the next one.  I think we sometimes approach our spiritual life this same way - with a "blindfold" of sorts making us "stumble along" with uncertainty and a lack of vision. Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;   but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction. (Psalm 29:18 NIV) Two words come to mind when I think of vision: Perception and Discernment.  It is the combined form of actually "seeing" and "knowing".  If you h

9-10 He said, "Go and tell this people:   "'Listen hard, but you aren't going to get it;  look hard, but you won't catch on.'   Make these people blockheads,  with fingers in their ears and blindfolds on their eyes, so they won't see a thing, won't hear a word, so they won't have a clue about what's going on     and, yes, so they won't turn around and be made whole." (Isaiah 6:9-10) Imagine the surprise in Isaiah's eyes when he hears these words from the one who has just called and anointed him to be the prophet to the nation of Israel.  He has stepped forward, hearing the call of God, in obedience....and this is the first message he is told to deliver to the people!  No easy calling here!  I think I would be reconsidering if I took one step backward when everyone was taking one forward!   Isaiah is asked to bring the message that reveals the heart and spirit of the nation - you listen, but you don't hear; you see, but you do

20  My child, pay attention to what I say.       Listen carefully to my words.   21  Don’t lose sight of them.       Let them penetrate deep into your heart,   22  for they bring life to those who find them,       and healing to their whole body. (Proverbs 4:20-22) Many of us take our "sight" for granted.  We simply "expect" to see.  For those of us with "weakened" vision (requiring glasses or contacts for clarity), we may experience an element of sight without a clarity of sight.  Without the use of the assistive devices we are dependent on to bring that "clarity" to our sight, we see the world as a blur.  For an individual going blind, like my mother, the "clarity" of their world is impacted by not only the revelation that they cannot see clearly, but that they can no longer see things they once enjoyed seeing. We often take for granted that someone who is "functioning" at a fairly high level of "productivity&quo

"Come along and see for yourself." (John 1:39) The book of John opens with a calling of the disciples - the intimate twelve that would become the inner circle of companions to follow in his footsteps, learn of his teachings, and be support in his times of trial.  In looking at the call to become a disciple, I see that words, "Come along and see for yourself."  Jesus was not in the business of convincing these men to follow him - leaving all they had to follow along in his ministry.  Instead, he asked for them to decide for themselves what it was that he proclaimed as truth. As I considered these words, several things came to mind: Discipleship requires us turning our attention from what it is we are doing at the moment towards the Great Teacher, Jesus.  These fishermen, tax collectors, and tradesmen had to specifically turn from what they were doing to follow Jesus.  This was no easy matter for them - their entire livelihood was affected by this one matter of redi