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PERFECTLY PLUMB I tell you the Truth, I’m no contractor but I know what a plumb line is. When a builder starts to construct a wall, he uses a plumb line to make sure that it is being build straight up. A plumb line is no more than a string with a weight attached to the end. The weight pulls the string taught due to simple gravity and the string is used as a guide to make sure the wall is plumb or level. This may seem like a simple, uncomplicated matter. But if a wall is ever built out of plumb terrible things can happen. The wall begins to lean, crack, and eventually can fall – bringing the entire building down with it. And this was exactly what God was showing the prophet Amos...
Amos 7: The Lord showed Amos a vision of Himself holding a plumb line against a wall. The wall represented Israel. This was God’s wall, His people that He had built through His own hands. God had built the wall true to plumb, but now Israel was straying and the wall was beginning to lean dangerously. God tells them that He will spare them no more, meaning He will not save them from their own destruction. Turns out that Israel did not want to hear what Amos had to say. The king and his spiritual leaders could see nothing wrong with the people. They compared themselves to humanity and had no desire to compare them selves with this God sized plumb line. What Amos and what Israel didn’t understand about the plumb line is that God actually was about to set a plumb line among His people. And that plumb line is the person Jesus Christ. When Jesus is set against the wall, it is easy to see what is straight and upright. His perfect life is the standard for all people to live by. He is perfection. It is His life that all others are judged by. This story is ancient. But the idea still holds great truth today. Most of us struggle with judgment. We prefer to look at ourselves in the light of others. We compare ourselves to those who are imperfect and we find that we’re not really all that bad. We even compare ourselves to other Christians who have imperfections. When we see ourselves compared to the faults of others, we can find no real need to strive to be holy and righteous. After all, I’m just as good a person as the next and perhaps even better. This was the attitude of Israel. And God announced to Amos certain judgment. But when we put ourselves against the perfect plumb line, when we compare ourselves to Jesus Christ, we fall short. When we go up against perfection, we have a real sense of need. It’s humbling to find yourself compared with perfection. That kind of humbling leads to a need for help and a need for a Savior. And that’s exactly where God wanted Israel and that’s exactly where God desires for you to be. God wants you to realize your need for Him daily. He desires for you to reach out to Him constantly. He knows that you can’t hold up to the plumb line. He knows that He is your only hope. So how do you stack up today? Are you perfectly plumb? If not, I encourage you to seek His face, confess your daily need for God’s guidance, His strength and His wisdom. You’ll never arrive at perfection in this life. But you can hold on to the hand of the perfect one as you walk. Like a Father and a child, Jesus Christ takes great joy in holding your hand. God doesn’t desire for the wall of your life to fall. Hold on to His hand and stay close to the plumb line. Then you can rest in the peace and assurance that all is well with your soul… Your Servant, <*))))))< <*))))))< <*))))))< <*))))))< <*))))))< <*))))))< Prayer Requests (and Praises!):
Your continued prayers for my co-worker Ron Ball are deeply
appreciated. As of Friday, Ron’s condition was still the same. Thanks
so much, Please reply if you have prayer requests, comments or simply need an open ear. I always enjoy hearing from you. <*))))))< <*))))))< <*))))))< <*))))))< <*))))))< <*))))))< |
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TRUTH WORKS DEVOTIONS TRUTH WORKS PUBLISHING Copyright © 2002 Truth Works Publishing. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise specified, all scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
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