Warriors Arise: January 19, 2023
2 Samuel 6:6-10 (NKJV) And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. 8 And David became angry because of the Lord's outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
A couple of things to consider. After the Lord struck down Uzzah for laying hold of the ark of God, I was thinking David was afraid to move it. But he wasn't. He moved the ark to Obed-Edom's house. If he wasn't afraid to move it, concerned someone else would touch it and die, then why didn't he continue on to the City of David?
At the time, did David realize why God struck down Uzzah? Or was that something he came to understand later? At the time, did he think God struck down Uzzah because God didn't want the ark to be taken to the City of David? Because he didn't take the ark of God back to Abinadab's house; I wonder if David was experiencing something most of us have experienced when we are moving forward in wanting more of God in our lives?
We press in to spend more time with God: being still, reading Scripture, journaling and/or worshipping, all the things that would draw us closer to God, only to have something in our lives go terribly wrong. Then we feel all alone, as if God didn't want to go with us. We think, "Did I do something wrong? Is it me? Why does my time with the Lord feel so empty? Why is it that in the distressful times, I can't seem to hear God or identify His presence?"
Maybe you haven't experienced this in Your relationship with God. That would be wonderful. When I have had those times, I have found that my faith grows. Faith doesn't grow when everything is aligned perfectly and there are no mishaps or distress or conflict. Faith grows when we have to trust God. When God is doing everything we think He should in the time that we think it should happen, that is the reality of His promise. But when we have to wait for His promise to become reality, we have to apply trust; and when we apply trust then faith grows. When the land is in a drought season, the roots have to dig through the hard ground to reach the water. If we expect God to water us every time we are in need, without applying effort with our roots, we will not produce fruit on the vine. There is not enough rain coming from the atmosphere to sustain a mighty oak. The Bible refers to us as oak trees. For the oak tree to be strong it will have to develop a root system twice the size of the branches above.
David never lost focus of wanting the ark of God, His presence, to be with him in the City of David. But for now, he took the ark to Obed-Edom's house. Something was off. God had allowed this for a reason. He needed to know. He needed to send everyone home and seek the Lord. He needed to know if it was him. That is not something he needed to do in front of the thirty thousand men he brought to the celebration. It is personal. Therefore, he needed one on one time with God, just like he used to have when he was tending his father's sheep, all those years ago. Until he knew if it was something he did or didn't do, or even David himself, he needed to take the ark of God somewhere for safe keeping. He wasn't sending it back. It is obvious he felt passionate about bringing God to His place in Israel. It is obvious he wanted God to be worshipped by all of Israel. He would check with God. But for now, the ark would go to Obed-Edom's house.
Father, when I have felt You wanted me to do serve You or lead the way in for others to go into Your presence and something disrupts that, it causes me to second guess myself. I find myself angry that it didn't go well. But as I turn to You, my heart is afraid of the answer to the question that can haunt me, "Did I do something to stop You from blessing the act of service? Was it me?" You are so faithful to meet me. You desire to make things clear. You desire to bless the act of service. Sometimes it is me and other times it is someone something else. I am grateful You desire to meet with me and teach me why it didn't go as I had hoped and anticipated. I am thankful You are a safe place. You are not going to tear me down and condemn me. You give grace and teach me Your ways. Your love pours out toward me and I am renewed to try again. Thank You for Your healing love. I am truly grateful in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy Hand
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