God is high and holy, majesty enthroned, worthy of our praise, and awesome to contemplate; but you would never know it to see the way some of us talk about Him and to Him. He is a marvelous Treasure to be sought. He is Wisdom to be pursued, and He is the Lord to be obeyed. But many Believers turn Him into a small god relegated to a shelf on the side of life where he can be sought for a ritual blessing, where he exists to keep them happy and satisfied while making few demands. It seems that they want a compliant, indulgent god! ......until tragedy strikes. Then they want Him to change the world on their behalf.
In an intriguing story from David's adventures, we catch a glimpse of God that makes us wonder at Him. David and the people wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant, that chest that was to be kept in the Holiest Place of God's people, to Jerusalem. The lid of the Ark was the place where offerings for the sins of the people were presented to God, the symbolic 'center' of His dwelling with His people. Thus it was the most sacred piece of furniture (dare I label it so casually?) in the tabernacle of God. Moses received the directives about building the tabernacle and the Ark, the directions for proper handling of this holy thing. (see Exodus 25) Rings were built into the sides of the ark through which long poles were to be passed. When it was necessary to move the Ark, priests were to carry it on their shoulders with these long poles. Over the centuries that elapsed from Moses to David's time, these directions were forgotten!
In the book of 1 Chronicles we are told about David's good intentions to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, symbolically returning God to the center of the people's attention in the capitol city! Good thing, right? Yes, it was. After a proclamation, they set out to do this thing. (13:7-8) They transported the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. It must have been quite a parade/worship celebration.
Until... (13:9-10) ....they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark. Then the Lord’s anger blazed out against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.
David was angry at God and left the Ark in Obed-Edom's house for 3 months. In the middle of trying to do a good thing, tragedy struck, and - at least at first- David didn't know why! I can imagine that his thoughts may have been something like this: "God, I'm trying to bring the people back to a proper focus on You, trying to raise You up before them, and You choose to kill one of my friends right in the middle of a national worship celebration! What's up with that?" Only after time and research did he learn the proper way to move the Ark and thus to show reverence for God.
Good intentions are admirable, but they are not enough for a holy God. He desires that we revere Him sufficiently to submit ourselves to His will, to live in His ways. When we argue with Him, resist what we know to be His plans, or take our lives into our own hands - we invite His displeasure.
This little story from David's life helps me to understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to 'serve' God. Even as I write this, I realize that I am giving aid and comfort to those who 'sanctify' a certain worship style or to those who are bent on writing rules and regulations for others in the name of God. That, however, is a shallow misuse of the principle of this story. My intent is to point us beyond such legalities to our own relationship with God, where we know better in our heart, but where we choose to go our own way believing that God will 'cut us some slack.'
In our cutting corners in disobedience we sow seeds that will produce the harvest of rebellion - alienation, fear, and ultimately death. He is a wonderful God who is worthy of our reverent, submitted, and entire obedience. When we fail and are convicted of the Spirit (thank God He doesn't strike us dead!) let's have the humility to confess our sin. In that attitude, there is life and peace.
How can I stand up before God and show proper respect to the high God?
Should I bring an armload of offerings topped off with yearling calves?
Would God be impressed with thousands of rams, with buckets and barrels of olive oil?
Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child, my precious baby, to cancel my sin?
But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple:
Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously. -- Micah 6:6-8, The Message
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