The Plumbline

Have you ever just asked God to give you the common sense to do what needs to be done, ignoring what shouldn't be done? I have on many occasions - simply because my common sense alone doesn't keep me from doing what I should not do! The sense to follow God's commands is not always the first thing that comes to mind for us, is it? Sometimes we choose to ignore what we know is right in pursuit of what we know might be 'okay', but it isn't exactly 'right'. We need his wisdom to know the difference. You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. (Psalm 119:73 NLT) Who best knows the creation than the one who created it? The one who created us is perfectly aware of all the inner conflict that goes on between wanting our own way and knowing we need to follow his commands. He knows the 'tension' this creates within us and he stands at the ready to help us navigate that tension together. The good news is that there is ...

I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word. My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees. (Psalm 119:67, 71 NLT) None of us enjoys suffering unless we are a little bit of a martyr. We want it to end or never have had it begin in the first place. We don't enjoy our own suffering, but we might not know how to get away from the thing that is making us suffer so deeply. That is where the Word of God can bring us insight. As we read, we might come to a passage that points out God's direction for us, knowing we should embrace what it says, stepping out to lay hold of that instruction. Sometimes we lack the 'umph' to move toward obedience even when we clearly comprehend the thing we should be doing that would set us free from that suffering caused by our sin. That's when we turn to God and cry out - knowing without his help, we will continue to wander off. Following God's word 'closely' ...