“Obedience
is doing what God says, when God says, with a happy heart.” Those words from Life
Action, designed for little ears, ring true in our adult minds. We know that
real obedience is doing things God’s way and not our own. When we choose to do
things our way, rather than obeying God, we have broken the 1st Commandment: “You shall have no other gods
before me.”
David
and the people of Israel learned a hard lesson when transporting the ark back
to Jerusalem (13). They placed the ark on a brand new cart. Wow! Imagine how
wonderful that cart was. Think Rolls Royce turning out a one-of-a-kind vehicle
just to carry something for one time only…spare no expense. But something went
terribly wrong. The oxen stumbled, Uzzah reached out to steady the ark and God
struck him dead. David was so afraid he put the ark in the house of Obed-edom
and left it there for three months.
Then
in Ch. 15 David prepares once again to bring the ark to Jerusalem. But this
time he does it God’s way (15:15). God had given clear instructions how the ark
was to be carried and they had violated that with the new cart. This time the
ark would travel on the shoulders of the priests.
What’s
the big deal? The big deal is “doing what God says, when God says, with a happy
heart.” God demands complete obedience in word and action from an obedient
heart. First, we learn his will from his Word. Then we do it. Simple, huh? (James
1:22)
Prayer:
Father, my prayer today is first confession that I so often do not do what you
say. Or often I do what you want but too late. But, perhaps most often, I am
guilty of trying to obey you in half-heartedness. Help me, Lord. God be merciful
to me a sinner. Help me to walk in your way constantly with a joyful heart that
seeks your glory above all else.
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