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10 June 2020 - My response to God

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My response to God

Read 2 Samuel 6:1-11

David gathered so many of his young best soldiers because bringing the ark to Jerusalem was David’s highest priority. David wanted to bring the ark of God because it signified the immediate presence and glory of God in Israel. He viewed God as the real source of victory. Regrettably, he did not move the ark according to the conditions of the Mosaic Law. According to the law, (Numbers 4:15, Deut 31:9; Joshua 3:3) Priests were to carry it on poles (Exo 25:14; Num 4:1-15) furthermore, no one was to touch it. (Numbers 4:19-20). But then David and his men brought the ark in a cart.

God’s symbolic entry was a cause for great celebration for David and all Israel, they were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps and cymbals. When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah (leading the ark) reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.  The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent(unholy) act; therefore, God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. David was apparently angry because he expected God to bless his efforts of praise and accept this celebration, not to strike one of his men to death.

True heart of worship

There is a striking illustration of the spiritual truth about David’s worship. The experience was joyful and exhilarating to David but it wasn’t pleasing to God. David wasn’t in-line with God’s word.

We are often tempted to judge a worship experience by how it makes us feel. When we realize that worship is about pleasing God, we are instantly driven to His word, so we can know how He wants to be worshipped. The bible talks about worshipping Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Our view of God must never be shaped by our fancy of worship. Our view of God must be shaped by God Himself. And a right view of God can only come from the word of God.

Reverence to God’s holiness

David learned a lesson about God’s holiness. The ark was kept in the Holy of Holies it is, described (6:2) as “the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of hosts who is enthroned above the cherubim.” David had to come to terms with the fact that he had failed to observe the laws laid down to safeguard respect for God’s holiness.

Do we worship God expecting to meet with God in holiness? One way to answer that question is to ask another question: How carefully do we prepare our heart of worship to experience this Holy God?

“We live in a day of flippant Christianity that has brought God down to the “good buddy in the sky” level, where we’ve lost the proper sense of awe and fear in His holy presence”- John MacArthur.

Worship should be a reverent response to God’s holy presence.  “Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” I Chronicles 16:29. We simply must remember that the Lord is more powerful and more holy than our ability to describe Him — and we must always approach Him in such awesomeness.

Suggested prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, I desire to learn how to worship You in awe and fear of a Holy God. Help me, to grow into the sort of worshipper that You are seeking, one who worships You in spirit and truth. Teach me Lord, how to worship You in the beauty of holiness so that I may be one that bows my heart before You in humility, to Your honour and glory. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

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