The Plumbline

I don’t mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That’s what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his. Brothers and sisters, I know that I still have a long way to go. But there is one thing I do: I forget what is in the past and try as hard as I can to reach the goal before me. I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven. (Philippians 3:12-14) All of us can truthfully say that we ae not exactly what God wants us to be - we haven't fully reached that point where we have done all we should do, developed all the character traits God wants us to develop, or completely been the person he wants us to be to reach others for him. The best we can admit to being is one that is 'continuing on' - doing what we are asked to do, learning from the instruction we receive, and

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29) How many times do we carry burdens way too heavy and beyond our means of ever 'unloading' on our own? Examine what Jesus said - come, take, learn, and find rest. There is an 'unloading' that occurs when we come to Jesus with those things we are carrying, but first we have to come! To take we must lay down. If we are to put more 'in', we must let 'out' what is nothing more than a 'burden' we carry. A burden is anything that is borne with difficulty - there is a sense of obligation to hold onto it, nurse it along, and keep it 'well situated' in a position where it can be 'managed'. What are we 'bearing' with difficulty today? Is it really our 'burden' to carry? Should we con

Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” (John 4:39-42) Many believed because of what the woman shared - others believed because of what they heard him and believed. Just imagine what would have happened if the woman had not shared what happened at the well, harboring all that she had experienced just for herself. Others who were ready and waiting to receive their Messiah might have missed the opportunity. There is something quite powerful in sharing what Jesus has done in your life, but there is something even more powerful in coming to the conclusion that you need him in spit

May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) John Maxwell reminds us, "People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude." What does your attitude say today? Does it reveal your tiredness or frustration? Does it shine forth with encouragement and hope? We actually 'choose' our attitude, but we would like to blame our attitude on others or circumstances. If it is bad, we blame it on the bad stuff happening in our lives. If it is jubilant, we attribute it to the good stuff going on around us. Spoken words reveal much, but our unspoken thoughts often come across in our attitude. Don't believe me? When was the last time you looked at your posture when you are in the depths of thought about something that is giving you a bit of trouble? How is your posture when you are well-rested versus weary from a lack of the proper rest? Your posture might just reveal a bit of that 'inner thought' att

Dear brothers, if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be one of you who is in the wrong. Share each other’s troubles and problems, and so obey our Lord’s command. If anyone thinks he is too great to stoop to this, he is fooling himself. He is really a nobody. (Romans 6:1-3) It is easy to share another's happiness or celebration, isn't it? It isn't as easy to share their troubles or problems. A gentle and humble response to another's shortcomings is just as hard, isn't it? The spirit of man can be downcast and burdened beyond one's ability to stand against. The heart becomes darkened by steps taken in the wrong direction and the spirit can be weighed down by woes beyond one's own control. We are told to come alongside another who is overcome and lighten their burden - if even in the slightest sense. It isn't so we will receive glory and pra

Back a number of years ago, I undertook one of the toughest hiking experiences I have ever done. It was a 13-mile hike down into the Grand Canyon. The trails were steep, to stay the least, and most were quite narrow as we made the descent downward, so I knew the ascent up was gonna be a 'bugger'. I was a lot younger then, and a whole lot dumber! We packed full packs, small tent, and sleeping bags, along with lots of water because there was no fresh water at the base of the canyon. On the way down, I was too 'prideful' to admit that pack was heavier than heavy! I just took the weight upon my shoulders and plodded along. It was exhausting and my body felt the toll at the bottom of that trail. As we settled in for the night, I remembered looking over at those who were along on the hike and declaring firmly that I was hiring a mule to take my pack up to the top on the way out! Why? I learned there is value in having someone else bear my burdens at times! Carry one another’

Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1 TLB) What slows you down? As each decade passes, I find the things that once couldn't stop me are more or less obstacles in my path these days. My strength is still good, but it isn't what it was in my twenties or thirties! I didn't used to have an artificial knee and running was no problem for me, but running with 'artificial parts' doesn't exactly make me the Bionic Woman! My grandson took a hike this weekend with his youth group and before he went he packed his 'survival gear'. It was as though he thought he'd have to keep the whole group hydrated, first aid rendered, and possibly navigate the open spaces of the mountains aro

Help each other with your troubles. When you do this, you are obeying the law of Christ. ( Galatians 6:2   ERV ) In other translations you might find "burdens" in place of troubles. Either way, we are to be there for each other - regardless of the burden or the thing that troubles our mind, soul, or spirit. A burden is something that is "carried" - it can be a load, but it can also be what some feel in the sense of what is described as the "onus" to do something or be a certain way. The task some of us are trying to do is more of an obligation than a desire. This may be because someone imposed it upon us, or we committed to something we later would come to regret. The "burdens" we carry can be quite hard for us and God's plan isn't that we remain "under" those burdens - but that we help each other out with them. Sometimes the greatest "help" we can be is to set someone free from the sense of "obligation"

Lee Iacocca once said, " Trouble shared is trouble halved ."  I have to say "half of the trouble" is still way more trouble than I really want to bear at any given moment!  It is a nice sentiment to "share" my trouble so I am now only dealing with half the trouble, but it isn't the answer we really need or want. We most likely want someone to carry ALL the trouble away - like the old commercial said, "Calgon, take me away!" We want to "deal" with the trouble by turning it over to someone else entirely, thereby putting the burden to "deal with it" squarely on their shoulders!  Wilma Rudolph said, " When the sun is shining, I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome ."  I think the truth is really when the SON is shining deeply in our lives, given the right place of priority in our hearts, we CAN do anything - no mountain is grander than we can scale together, no trouble bigge

Burden:  That which is born with difficulty or obligation; to load so heavily as to trouble the one who carries the weight.   We all carry some type of burden - but some of us carry a load too great for us to bear and are crumbling under the weight of that burden.  When I say we all carry some type of burden, I refer to the "burdens" we carry each day such as getting the kids to school on time, being productive at work, and ensuring their are clean underwear in the drawer each week.  These are "minor" burdens compared to the weight of sin, depression, anxiety, and the like.  They are eventually "relieved" by dropping the kids at the doorstep of the school, or completing that task you were given. There is an end point we can see.  The other burdens I speak of are those without an end point - or at least it seems that way.  Now, I know your laundry can pile up and up, making it look like there is no end to the burden, but trust me - wash long enough and fol

Have you ever felt like you are at the end of your rope - just ready to throw in the towel and call it quits?  In those moments, isn't it so easy to just accuse God of things like "ignoring us" or "not paying attention to our needs"?  We somehow equate things "not going our way" as God holding out on us, or just plain not giving a hoot about how we are fairing in the process.  In fact, we might even utter words which resemble these of our psalmist:  "I've looked at the back of your head long enough!"  It is easy to settle into the "mully-grubs" when things are not exactly as we might have liked for them to be in our lives, but it is quite another thing to "blame" God for getting or putting us there!   Long enough,  God — you’ve ignored me long enough.   I’ve looked at the back of your head   long enough. Long enough  I’ve carried this ton of trouble,   lived with a stomach full of pain.   Long enough my arrogant e

Do you ever just feel like you need to be carried along a little?  You know, like when the burdens get so "huge" you cannot seem to see around them, much less get out from under them.  I guess we all get to this point once in a while, but the important thing is that we learn to not make this a way of life!  By definition, a burden is something which is carried with some difficulty - it has become a "load" we bear, a sense of obligation to hold on tightly and not let go.  That said, I have to ask - what are you holding onto so tightly which keeps your hands, minds, and soul so occupied that you no longer can reach out to take the hand of Jesus? Blessed be the Lord— day after day he carries us along.  (Psalm 68:19 MSG) If we really want to understand the burdens which get us "overloaded", we first have to learn how it is we "pack the pack".  In the military, they taught us to "pack smart", but also to pack a whole lot in a little spac

Have you ever heard the little saying:  Everyone comes with baggage - you just need to hook up with someone who is willing to help you unpack it?  I don't know if this is the exact saying, but you can get the idea.  We ALL have baggage!  We all have burdens we carry - some quite well-packed and others just barely hanging on!  We all handle our burdens differently - some bear them in silence while others ramble incessantly about the difficulties in life.  Here's what I know:  Whenever a burden wants to attach itself to our shoulders, we need to refuse to carry it! God sav es those who suffer by using their suffering.   He uses their troubles to speak in a way that makes them listen.   In fact, God wants to help you out of your troubles.    He wants to take away your burdens that are crushing you.     He wants to load your table with plenty of food.  (Job 36:15-16 ERV) Job has been right smack in the middle of being "saddled" with some burdens beyond his physical, m

Do you know what it means to be tyrannized by something or someone?  It means to exercise absolute or control over someone - so much so that they are cruelly oppressed.  Peter directs us today to thinking of our old way of living as "tyrannizing" our new way of walking with Christ.  In fact, he says it is a matter of our old way of living always oppressing us by demanding what it wants. Since Jesus went through everything you're going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you'll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.  (1 Peter 4:1-2 The Message) Something which is oppressive is first of all way too harsh.  Think of what Peter is saying - our old way of living (self-directed, self-demanding) is way too harsh in the demands which are made.  I have come to recognize there is no "hap

We all love a bargain!  Whenever we come across the item marked down to 90% of its original price - don't we squeal with delight?  Oh come on...if you don't do it outwardly, you are dancing on the inside!!!  Bargains are awesome.  The problem is - some "bargains" are merely "made up" to appear as bargains! 17-18  Don't for a minute envy careless rebels;  soak yourself in the Fear-of- God  — t hat's where your future lies.  Then you won't be left with an armload of nothing.   (Proverbs 23:17-18 The Message) A "bargain" which is really not a "bargain" is like loading ourselves up with "armloads of nothing". We find we have been "sucked into" the frenzy of believing the "false claims" of the things we loaded ourselves down with.  Don't miss it - we load ourselves up with all kinds of supposedly "good things" in our lives - but we do it without truly thinking (in a frenzy). We have

If we find ourselves too busy for our neighbor's burden then we are too busy!  If we find ourselves too interested in our own issues so as to miss the pressing needs of another, we are too disinterested in those God places in our lives!  Paul takes us to the place of "testing" the reality of "living what we preach" today in our passage: 1-3  Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out.  Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (Galations 6:1-3 The Message) The idea of "sharing burdens" seems like a term we have utilized in Christian circles for as long as I can remember.  It is usually associated with pastoral admonishments to engage in service, being available to what God urges u

27  “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,   28  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.   29  If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.   30  Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.   31 Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:27-30) Jesus is speaking these words - the setting or timing of when they were spoken is important to understand.  First, he is under attack from those who should be shouting in joy at his works.  The Pharisees see him "mixing with" common sinners and criticize him terribly, publicly ridiculing him for the company he keeps.  Second, he is criticized for his timing.  He heals on the Sabbath - seen as a "work" by those of Rabbinical teaching.  Their hearts are so "into" the rule-keeping that they fail to s