“Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:7
My wife and I have been married for sixteen years. But, to my own embarrassment, there have been times when I have taken her for granted. There have been times when I have become so familiar with her that I have been insensitive to her needs and wants. Just as it is not healthy to take our spouses for granted, David would say, it is not healthy to take God for granted.
In 2 Samuel 6:1-15 David desired to unite the nation spiritually, so he went to retrieve the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim, where it had been for over twenty-five years. They transported the ark on a new cart. It was classy and convenient. As they transported the ark, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah, reached out, with good intentions, to stabilize the ark. When he touched it, God’s judgment broke out against him and he died. So, David became angry at and afraid of God, and he decided to abandon the mission. Could it be that God responded with such drastic measures because David took Him for granted by either ignoring God’s standards or failing to inquire of God as to how he should transport the ark (Exodus 25:14). He assumed he knew and that God would approve. With this failure, David had begun to trifle with God’s holiness.
This dramatic episode reminds us of several truths.
1) We must do God’s work God’s way to secure God’s blessings. This narrative reveals how God feels about us placing our preferences ahead of his purposes.
2) Obedience to God’s specific will is more important than good intentions. Coming close to doing God’s will is not enough.
Let’s pay close attention to our relationship with God, lest privilege become presumption. May we approach him with awe and according to his revealed will!
Read Isaiah 6:1-8; Exodus 3:1-6 and meditate and answer the following questions.
1. In what ways have you trifled with God’s holiness?
2. What do you need to change in order to approach God with a greater sense of awe and reverence?
3. How have you seen your obedience lead to blessings and freedom?
Scripture Of The Day: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” – Isaiah 6:3 (NIV)
article courtesy of TheStreamingFaith.com
