"Thus he shewed me: and behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand."
"Then said the lord, behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them anymore." Amos 7:7-8
I daresay that the majority of the present day generation has no clue what a plumbline is. However, it is not necessarily their fault; the plumbline is an antiquated device that, due to modern tools and technology, has fallen into disuse, and is relegated to an undisturbed corner of the workbench. But in olden times, it was a tool used to make sure that structures were straight and precise, which is something in which craftsmen usually take pride. A building framed perfectly straight is not only pleasing to the eye, it makes for an all around successful building project. Drywall hangers, brick masons, tilesetters, and even carpet installers appreciate the diligence of the framers to insure that measurements are consistent, corners are square, and walls are "plumb", or exactly vertical. Carelessness in the preliminary stages of construction can result in a "don't care" attitude throughout the process.
God himself, in building his church, let it be known to the prophet Amos that a plumbline was used from the beginning, with the expectation that He desires and requires precision and exactness in His people. Obedience to His Word is of paramount importance. There is no sloppiness in God or his church. And the plumbline was set in the midst of the people at the beginning, and understood to be permanent. "I will not again pass by them anymore." We should not have to be constantly reminded that God requires holiness, or repentance, or any number of other things. The Word of God is the plumbline. It is forever settled in Heaven. If a question arises, let us check the plumbline, not a neighboring church, or someone beside us on the pew. The Word of God is our guide, not what someone else is doing. Measuring ourselves by others leads to uncertainty and confusion. And God is not the author of confusion.
Praying for you,
Pastor Ritchey
