The Plumbline

Zeal:  Enthusiastic diligence; eager desire; fervor.  There are two synonyms for this word - passion and intensity.  Anything which is done with great "fervor" is done with great intensity - there is a robustness to the action.  Maybe this is why God looks for a people who will have great zeal - he desires a robustness of relationship!   For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), and His ears are attentive to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who practice evil [to oppose them, to frustrate, and defeat them].   Now who is there to hurt you if you are zealous followers of that which is good?  But even in case you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, [you are] blessed (happy, to be envied). Do not dread or be afraid of their threats, nor be disturbed [by their opposition].  (I Peter 3:12-14 AMP) Thomas Fuller penned the words:  "Zeal wi...

Yearning: to have an interest or strong desire; longing; to be moved or attracted toward.  We have all kinds of "longings" don't we?  When the day just seem to drag on and on at work, we "long" to be home or out pursuing some other activity.  When the laundry is piled high and the sun is shining, we long to be outside enjoying the weather, not scrubbing away yesterday's stains.  When the traffic jam keeps us inching along, we long for another passenger in our car so we can take the high-occupancy lane!  All kinds of "yearnings", huh?  It is the process of "yearning" which actually gets us to take steps forward most of the time.  We just aren't satisfied with the way things are, so we move toward what or where we think things will be different.  For example, we sign up for the carpool club at work so we don't have to wait in the rush hour traffic, or we do a load of laundry here and there so the weekends are free of "househol...

Okay, admit it, you just didn't think I'd be able to come up with any character trait for the letter "x"!  Well, sorry to disappoint, but I actually do have one: Xerarch - the ability to grow in dry places.  If the truth be told, many of us face those "dry places" in life much more than we do the really well-watered ones!  Those "barren" places just don't look very promising when we are smack-dab in the middle of them, do they?  In fact, the very word "barren" suggests "sterile" ground - unproductive, unfruitful.  I challenge this idea, though.  I think the barren places are the exact places God will choose to show his power in our lives!  If you get rid of unfair practices,  quit blaming victims,  quit gossiping about other people’s sins, i f you are generous with the hungry  and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, y our lives will begin to glow in the darkness,  your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.   ...