I’ve had trips out of town for the past couple of days and without the time to write the Moming Devotions. But while reading from Monday’s installment from the One-Year Bible, there was a detail that latched onto my holy imaginator and would not let go.
“David was now afraid of God, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of God back into my care?” So David did not move the Ark into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. The Ark of God remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and everything he owned” (I Chronicles 13:12-14)
OK, so it’s good that God blesses people.
That’s not news, so why would I focus on that fact?
This is why we need to use our brains and not just our eyes.
Just before the Ark of the Covenant was take to Obed-edom’s home, God had struck dead Uzzah, a man walking next to the cart carrying the Ark from Kiriath-jearim. The oxen pulling the cart had stumbled, jostling the cart. Uzzah put his hand on the Ark to keep it from falling off the cart and then God immediately zapped him.
Yes, God had commanded that people carry the ark on poles, not on a cart, so that it wouldn’t be touched by human hands. But Uzzah was just trying to help, wasn’t he?
God was making a point here about reverance for the earthly expression of God’s authority and holiness. A major point.
So Uzzah’s body is still smoldering when David’s procession arrives at Obed-edom’s house. Obed-edom must have had an incredible measure of faith in order to be chosen by David as the host for the Ark.
And that faith was demonstrated when Obed-edom didn’t say, “You aren’t bringing that thing in here! What if I accidently graze against it during my devotional prayer time or my little nephew touches it because it is shiny? I don’t want anybody in my household to die.”
Instead, Obed-edom agreed to host the Ark until God directed David to move it elsewhere.
Remember, David was angry with God after Uzzah was zapped. After all, David had called for a national gathering to form a religious procession for transporting the Ark to Jerusalem and there were many thousands of people who made the trip to Kiriath-jearim. When the fireworks started, their trip turned from celebration into grief and confusion.
It would take time for David’s heart to heal and his mind to absorb the lesson of Uzzah’s death. And that’s why he wanted nothing to do with this “headache” Ark — at least for a while.
While David’s heart healed, Obed-edom’s house was blessed.
Hmmm…….
I don’t want to read too much into this account, but I do see a couple of parallels for our lives.
Sometimes we encounter big problems because we are careless with showing reverence toward God. We treat our congregational involvement too casually or we treat the Bible as if it were a smorgasbord of optional rules.
We might even carelessly, repeatedly use communion time at church as “thinking about my to-do list after church” rather than as a time for appreciating the depth of Christ’s love for my soul and sacrifice for my sins.
When God decides enough is enough and the “wake-up call” arrives, do we grow angry with Him and set aside our faith in scripture for a while? Or do we fall on our faces and plead for forgiveness and restoration to the joy of carefully obedient worship and service?
David did return after his season of reflection and healing. And the eventual carrying of the Ark — on poles as ordained by God — led to unbridled rejoicing and dancing by the king as he led the procession into Jerusalem.
And as the Ark left his house, Obed-edom realized that God had greatly blessed his willingness to take in that which nobody else wanted.
Listen, increasing numbers of congregations are acting like the Bible is too demanding, too restrictive and too judgmental. They act as if the Word is bringing them sorrow to the point of anger rather than bringing them closer to God and to lives of sanctified blessing.
Such congregations are setting aside the Word’s authority because it causes too many headaches.
If only they would see the tragic error they are making.
Don’t fall into the trap. Please.
Receive the Word even when others wearing the label of “Christian” won’t.
You know the Word is holy and will phenomenally bless your life if you honor it.
Just like Obed-edom’s life was phenomenally blessed as he received and honored the Ark.
As always, I love you
Martin
Thanks Martin for this post. We sometimes try to help God and the result is not good, sometimes major bad, and then we wonder why bad things happens to us. I am now learning to trust and listen and obey and let God be in command, and all is well. Have and godly day and a good day, and may the sonshine upon you, Martin. Thanks again. Lorene.
Lorene,
I really appreciate your hunger for faith. I am encouraged when I read your notes. Thank you. Your thoughts about the Lord shared with me are like Sonshine.
Martin