The Plumbline

I like the song, "Rise", as sung by Danny Gokey. Why? The words speak to me because they speak of the brokenness inside each of us - the wounds that still remind us all so often of the fear we have faced, the shame we have endured, and the rejection that seems to come on the heels of wrong actions. He goes on to tell us we all know it is time to get up - to rise up from our fear, shame, and rejection - but we are paralyzed, stuck in place, no idea of how to rise above these things. Does that speak to anyone else other than me? As the song continues, we are reminded that we hear a clear voice calling us to rise - even when we see no way out, when life is too hard to handle. Rise - the heart once so hardened by life's tragic choices is made new once again - beating, coming back to life, all because of the call of our Creator. You can be sure of this: The Kingdom of Christ and of God will never belong to anyone who is impure or greedy, for a greedy person is really an id...

Restless nights, busy days, more restless nights - does this describe any of our lifestyles? I know I can run so hard that I am exhausted at the end of the day, only to be too tired to actually get a good night's rest. My body yearns for a little rest, but my mind just won't shut down. I toss and turn - hoping to drift into a restful slumber - but realizing it evades me more than I thought it would. There are all kinds of definitions for 'being tired', but not all of them end with us getting the rest we actually desperately need.  Come to me and I will give you rest—all of you who work so hard beneath a heavy yoke. Wear my yoke—for it fits perfectly—and let me teach you; for I am gentle and humble, and you shall find rest for your souls; for I give you only light burdens.” ( Matthew 11:28 TLB ) Weariness of soul really has no other resting place until we are willing to let go of the burdens we feel we must bear alone. It was George Bernard Shaw who told us, ...

I wonder how many of us could say we have done well with Mother Teresa's challenges to "b e faithful in the small things because it is in them that your strength lies ." Our strength lies not in the greatness we achieve, but in the faithfulness we manifest in doing the things that it is likely nobody will notice! I think that is what Jesus had in mind when he challenged his disciples to tell them what they had spent so much time arguing about while on a journey one day. It was right after they had been out on a mission with Jesus, listening to him teach, seeing him work miracles, observing great deliverance from lifelong disease and demon-possession. They find themselves right where we find ourselves many times - wondering who will be the greatest among them - who will be the 'most favored' of all the disciples Jesus. Isn't it strange that we worry about who will 'rise to the top' more than we think about all that can be accomplished just by being fait...