The Means Does Not Justify the End
Theme:God's Presence, Process, Obedience, Apathy, Mixture of World
Scripture:2 Sam 6:9-10 - David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, " How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?" He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
Observation:God is not just interested in what we do but He also cares about howwe do it. David has it in his heart to bring the presence of God back among his people. A great God giving initiative, however his application of the initiative is flawed. Let's have a quick look;
V3 David set the ark on a New Cart to bring it home, this is something he adopted from the Philistines when they send the ark back to Israel. He also knew that God's instruction for carrying the ark was that it was to be carried on poles on the shoulders of the Levites. 1 Chr 15
V4 David & all Israel are all partying before the ark having a grand old time.
God is not happy about this lack of respect for his direction and so when Uzzah touches the ark with the good motivation of stabilizing it, God strikes him dead. David is so angry that he refuses to take God with him any further and so he heads off to sulk for a few months while someone else receives God's blessing. David is angry with himself because his slack approach to following God's instruction has cost a man his life. Eventually he stops sulking and does it the correct way. Look at the difference this time he brings the ark to his people;
V13 -15 the Levites are carrying the Ark, it is not on a new cart. David is sacrificing an offering every six steps, David is wearing a lined ephod which is a worship garment. David is dancing before the Ark on his own in worship not like the previous party atmosphere at all. Israel shouted and sounded the trumpets acknowledging that God was returning to his people! God very much cares not just what we do but how we go about it!
Application:We must take as much care about how we are doing something as we do about what we are doing for God. We are representing Him and if we want his presence with us then the process of doing must be just as important to us as the initiative itself. We must carry His presence on our shoulders and not be flippant about how we deal with God's presence.
We must take great care not to adopt a new cart or concept of the world and then try and use that to carry the presence of God. God hates this kind of mixture. Our worship must be pure worship led by true worshippers and not just a raucous rabble where everyone has a go. God wants to have His presence among His people but also cares about the process we adopt to bring His presence among the people. Do it right and people get blessed, do it wrong and people die! (spiritually).. Leaders should feel the weight of responsibility to walk in obedience to God on behalf of His people!
Prayer:Father please help me to show great honour and respect for your presence at all times and keep my heart in a place of humble worship ready to walk obediently following your direction for the sake of the people.
Created about 1 year ago
