The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Chronicles 15:13,
"It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it [the ark] up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way."
In chapter thirteen of this book we read about a man, Uzzah, who was put to death by the Lord when he touched the ark to keep it from tumbling off the cart it was being carried on. David attempted to bring the ark to Jerusalem but left it at the house of Obed-Edom when the event occurred.
Here we learn that Uzzah was put to death because of the lack of reverence David and company approached the ark with when they attempted to move it to Jerusalem. They had not inquired of the Lord about how to move it "in the prescribed way." The prescribed way the Lord had established was that it was to be moved only by Levites, not just anyone. The Levites were to have been set apart, and them alone, for the task.
The account brings to mind that there are some things in life that are only to be done "in the prescribed way". I suspect most things in life are left to the intelligence and volition of mankind, but there are some things that are only to be done in a way the Lord has prescribed. We are simply not free to do some things our own way.
Possibly the most important thing in life is to recognize that if we want entrance into God's family, it is to be done "in the prescribed way." Not just any way. Some folks think if they behave themselves, if they are good enough, if they go to church, participate in the confessional they can make their own way into God's family. Not so. It must be done in the prescribed way of faith.
I am reminded of Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Here is something in which we are not free to "just roll our own". It must be done in the prescribed way. "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10.
I'll bet you can come up with a number of things where we must do them in the way God has prescribed.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it [the ark] up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way."
In chapter thirteen of this book we read about a man, Uzzah, who was put to death by the Lord when he touched the ark to keep it from tumbling off the cart it was being carried on. David attempted to bring the ark to Jerusalem but left it at the house of Obed-Edom when the event occurred.
Here we learn that Uzzah was put to death because of the lack of reverence David and company approached the ark with when they attempted to move it to Jerusalem. They had not inquired of the Lord about how to move it "in the prescribed way." The prescribed way the Lord had established was that it was to be moved only by Levites, not just anyone. The Levites were to have been set apart, and them alone, for the task.
The account brings to mind that there are some things in life that are only to be done "in the prescribed way". I suspect most things in life are left to the intelligence and volition of mankind, but there are some things that are only to be done in a way the Lord has prescribed. We are simply not free to do some things our own way.
Possibly the most important thing in life is to recognize that if we want entrance into God's family, it is to be done "in the prescribed way." Not just any way. Some folks think if they behave themselves, if they are good enough, if they go to church, participate in the confessional they can make their own way into God's family. Not so. It must be done in the prescribed way of faith.
I am reminded of Ephesians 2:8-9, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Here is something in which we are not free to "just roll our own". It must be done in the prescribed way. "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10.
I'll bet you can come up with a number of things where we must do them in the way God has prescribed.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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