In Perfect Array

Row after row, in perfect array, the rolling hills bear the earmark of honor, patriotism, and sacrifice. Honor in life. Honor in death. Unsung heroes and high ranking military officials laid to rest side by side. White stones strategically erected in perfect military order. Line after line, row after row, section after section for as far as the eye can see. Each marker at Arlington National Cemetery represents freedom. Freedom of speech. Freedom of worship. Freedom to assemble. Freedom to bear arms. Freedom to exercise unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Rights enjoyed by all Americans.

The beauty and splendor of such perfection exudes a sublime sense of holiness, as if somehow there is more than meets the eye that beholds such hallowed ground.

Order—divine order. That's what I saw. Not simply gravestones intricately spaced and precisely uprighted in uniformity, but order. As we drove through the Cemetery, I was amazed that not one headstone was skewed, not one marker misplaced, not even a weed blemishing the perfectly groomed grass on its 600+ acres. A place for everything and everything in its place, meticulously planned and organized generation after generation. The earmark of divine order.

Why would such a display move me so? I questioned this over and over again on our drive home. It was more than inspiring. The sight was more than awesome. There was a message woven through each headstone set in perfect array. But, what was the message? What was God speaking to me? What aspect of His character did He unveil?

Suddenly, it began to make sense. It was a picture of how one takes care to align his or her life perfectly to the standard of the Word of God. Each headstone is perfectly aligned. No deviation. If wind blows one out of alignment, it is immediately adjusted and realigned. What a lesson for us. What a lesson for me!

So often my own life needs alignment. Simple winds of affliction or hardship or unexpected challenge seem to knock me out of alignment. It's so easy just remain misaligned, weak, out of sync with the Standard of the Word of God, resisting the work of the "Master Aligner" to realign my life. Oh, that I would be as meticulous about my heart's alignment to the Standard as the keepers of Arlington National Cemetery are to keep every single gravestone perfectly straight.

Amos had a vision of the Lord holding a plumb line in his hand. The Lord said, "Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel." This "plumb line" was a symbol of the testing Israel's conduct. No more would the Lord tolerate Israel's use of false gods, natural hills, or pagan influences to measure their uprightness. Now, God Himself would drop the plumb line and Israel would be measured accordingly.

The Lord has put a plumb line in the midst of His people: Yeshua Himself has become our "plumb line" as our lives are to be aligned to His example of righteousness and faith. We use His example to measure our conduct. No longer will the Lord tolerate our use of false gods or pagan influences to measure our goodness or uprightness. God Himself dropped the Plumb Line in our midst and we will all be measured accordingly.

How do I measure? How do you measure? Is Yeshua your Plumb Line? Or, do you measure your life against the standard of others' lives?

The next time you see a picture of a national cemetery, take a close look at the rows and rows of white stones, in perfect array. Consider, then, how your life should be in perfect alignment to the Plumb Line we have in Yeshua.

Father, I repent. Those words simply do not convey what I feel in my heart. I have a desperate need to be realigned to the Plumb Line provided in Yeshua. Father, challenge each reader to take note of their own lives and remind them that You have dropped the Plumb Line into their midst (into OUR midst) and that we will ALL be measured accordingly. In Jesus' name, amen.

_____________
© 2008 Jan Ross
All Rights Reserved