Scripture:
1 Chronicles 15:2-3 ESV
[2] Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever. [3] And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.
[12] and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites. Consecrate yourselves, you and your brothers, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. [13] Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not seek him according to the rule.” [14] So the priests and the Levites consecrated themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. [15] And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.
Observation:
King David was a fast learner. After Uzzah died it did not take him long to change his ways. I could almost picture him looking back to everything that had been written about Moses trying to find out what was done wrong. So that he could change it. He had a heart of repentance. When he did something the LORD pointed it out. King David changed it. The first thing he found was the wrong people were carrying the ark. It had to be the Levites and even they had to be consecrated to do so. The next change that was made was those little holes on the sides of it…you know…you ones that the poles went through…well they got a pole through them. But the first and most important thing that David saw he did wrong in his first attempt to bring the ark home was he neglected to seek the LORD about it. I can’t help but think that if this step was not missed the story yesterday would not have happened. GOD used this tragic situation to get David’s attention. It worked. He turned to the LORD for direction and got the ark to its proper location.
Application:
I can’t tell you how many times I have done something thinking it was GOD’s will just because it felt right. Only to find out that I not only should have asked HIM first but also should have asked HIM how it’s easy to get in a hurry and think we know best. I amen after all we want what we want. There is a right and a wrong way to do things. And you can do the right thing the wrong way. We should always consult the LORD and allow HIM to guide our steps it will save us a lot of heartache. I do see how GOD will take a tragic situation and use it for good. Most of the time when I run out and do something without talking to GOD first and it goes bad. It leads me to seek HIM for instructions. Honestly, I’m grateful that HE gave me a book of them… the Bible I’m sure we have all heard the acronym for it… Basic instructions before leaving earth B.I.B.L.E. I firmly believe that if we put GOD first in all that we do we will avoid a lot of wrecks in our lives. I remember my mom and her boyfriend used to go bowling and on Sunday they had this thing called bumper bowling. They would put these inflatable tubes in the gutters of the lanes. It would ensure that you did not roll a gutter ball. That’s how I see the guidelines GOD has laid out in HIS word. If we follow them we can rest assured that good will come, and if hard times come we know that HE will never leave us or forget about us. The rules are there to protect us from ourselves.
Prayer:
Father, I never want to do things my way. My way hurts, and honestly, I’m not the only one that is affected by it. You have set down guidelines so that I could live a life of blessing. Help me to remember to always ask you before I do anything. I am so tired of making bad choices, and when I don’t include you it seems to always go bad. So I’m asking you to guide me guide us guide all that are reading this right now. Help us to see your way and to do it without question I’m or sure any of us can handle another wreck in our lives. Give us a strong desire to seek your answers before we do anything it’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.