Penmanship 101

“Authority exercised with humility, and obedience accepted with delight are the very lines along which our spirits live.” - C.S. Lewis

I am a note taker. I love tracking with a speaker, jotting down quotes, summarizing key points, and capturing illustrations. I usually write on a lined yellow notepad, but sometimes all I can find is the back of an envelope or a blank piece of paper.

When I use my lined yellow paper, my writing drifts a little, but generally follows the lines. Not so with the blank paper. My writing goes every which way and once drifting off course, there is no telling where it will go.

David’s “penmanship” drifted a few times in his life, and he wrote way outside the lines. But he knew where the lines were and eventually came back. Despite his periodic sloppiness, he always returned and conformed his life to the lines God provided. He wrote, “Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path.” (Psalm 27:11a)

If the “penmanship” of your life needs some improvement, follow the lines God has provided in his Word. When you drift, correct. God has not established those boundaries to make our lives miserable or overly complicated. He loves us and wants us to be productive and at peace living within the guidelines he provides.  

Dan Bolin

President

Refueling in Flight Ministries, Inc