The Plumbline

Most days I am just happy to end the day feeling like my behavior came reasonably close to my beliefs!  I set out with lofty goals, but over the course of the day, I veer a little (and sometimes a lot) from how I hoped to act, wished to respond, or chose to think about a matter.  In the end, I find myself evaluating my actions, seeing those which just did not match my beliefs, and then find myself in dialogue with God (once again) seeking his grace and forgiveness. Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and  your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.  (Romans 14:22-23 The Message) I kind of doubt if I am i...

Have you ever run up a debt on a credit card?  It may not have been all that much in terms of financial debt, but when you ran up the debt, how did it make you feel?  It is likely the "emotion" you attached to the spending frenzy was one of being "obligated".  You now are indebted to another who extended you the credit.  Some of us have a tendency to view "love" in a way which leaves us feeling "indebted" to another - always trying to "pay back" the debt we "owe".   Don't run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don't sleep with another person's spouse, don't take someone's life, don't take what isn't yours, don't always be wanting what you don't have, and any other "don't" you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You...

Have you ever thought of God as "giving you breathing room"?  I never really thought of it this way, but our devotional times are kind of "breathing room".  The time we take to settle ourselves long enough to reflect on God's word and then to begin to allow it to impact us is also providing us with some "breathing room" from the hub-bub of everyday life.   3-5  You've always given me breathing room, a place to get away from it all, a lifetime pass to your safe-house, an open invitation as your guest.  You've always taken me seriously, God, made me welcome among those who know and love you. (Psalm 61:3-5 The Message) For some time in my life, I looked as my devotional times as "required".  It was taught to me as a "baby Christian" - take time each day to get "quiet" with God.  In those moments, I was to pray, read the Word, and if possible, get something out of the time!  Allegedly - as was reported to me as a...