The Lord’s Plumb Line (Amos 7:7)


 

Tuesday, July 23, 2024


Psalms 54; 55:1-12

Amos 6:8-7:9

Romans 2:1-11


The Lord’s Plumb Line (Amos 7:7)


For all these terrifying words about death and destruction, can we find any positive words about God’s judgement?


First, there is a vision of locusts devouring a harvest. This seems pretty bad; and Amos intercedes for the people, and God says that “this will not happen”.


Then there is an enormous fire that devours everything, a supernatural nuclear holocaust. Again, Amos intercedes, and God replies that “this will not happen either”.


But God is coming to pass judgement. And it is not a judgement of a capricious or arbitrary type. It is a fair judgement. It is the judgement of the eye of the careful builder.


God sets a plumb line against his people. We use something similar, and we call it a “level”; that small capsule filled with water, with a single bubble within, set on a straight piece of metal or timber. Line it up against whatever you are making, and you can see whether it lies flush, or if it is askew.


In this post-Easter era, God has built us into his church. Peter was the first rock, and upon that rock Christ is laying living stones of faithful Christians, a great construction of believers the world over. He is holding the plumb line against our work, to make sure we are level. If we try and go against the instructions of the great Architect, our work will be ill-suited to its purpose, and God will come and sort it out.


One of the names of the Holy Spirit is our “guide”. Are we making sure we listen to our Guide so that our kingdom-building work is level with what God wants?


God, grant me the knowledge and skill necessary to make sure I am building your kingdom in line with what you have designed.

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