Tuesday, 26 May 2009

• Do You Reverence God and Does God Care?

  My grandfather is 86-yrs-old. His body is ravaged by chronic arthritis. He is a cancer survivor and recently lived through a heart-attack that almost declared the end of a life well lived, but a body overworked.
  
  Yet, the other night I observed him as he faithfully edged his way to the end of his bed, slowly sliding his feet down to an area of carpet that is also gracefully aging, and with dogmatic will he kneeled to communicate with the God who helped him make it through yet another day. I, on the other hand, someone who is relatively very healthy and over fifty years his junior, am guilty of opting to say my prayers with my head cradled in a pillow and my body comfortably couched between a blanket and a snuggie.
  
  Of course, many nights I also kneel, but if it's too cold, or I'm reading, or simply just finished a late night movie, it only makes sense that I commence my conversation in comfort--at least that's what I tell myself.
  
  But, today I was reading about Uzzah and Ahio (the sons of Abinandab) in 2 Samuel and learned something about God that challenged me. When King David decided to remove the Ark of God from Abinadab's home and bring it into the City of David, Abinadab's sons were summoned to lead the transporting. While David and the rest of Israel jubilantly celebrated with songs, harps, and tamborines, Abinadab's sons were guiding the ark.
  
  At some point the land began to slope and the Oxen stumbled. Uzzah, not wanting the ark to fall, quickly braced himself, reached out, and took hold of the ark. Now, this is where it gets interesting. The Bible says:
  
  "The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irrevant act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God." (2 Samuel 6:7 NIV)
  
  "The LORD became angry with Uzzah, so God killed him there for his lack of respect. He died beside the ark of God." (2 Samuel 6:7 God's Word Translation)
  
  I thought Uzzah's act was a pious one. But, it is apparent that God's judgement was different. The law of that day stipulated that the Ark of the Covenant was the holiest artifact in the entire nation of Israel. Human hands were not allowed to touch it. In fact, if the ark had to be moved for some reason, the priest would use two golden poles to lift it.
  
  The ark, which was made of wood and overlaid with gold, looked like a chest with  two cherubims flanking a mercy seat, and was revered as the dwelling place for the presence of God.
  
  “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.” (Exodus 25:22)
  
  While the Israelites traveled through the wilderness enroute to the promise land (Palestine), the presence of God went before them as a pillar of smoke during the day and a pillar of fire during the night. But, when they offered sacrifices the presence of God would dwell "above the mercy seat" on the ark.
  
  God struck UIzzah dead because of his irreverence, but a few lines later he blesses Obed-Edom and his family for housing and apparently reverencing the ark. Which leads me to wonder about the ways in which our modern society shows very little respect to God and the things of God. And, the ways in which Christians treat God as if he has no standards, the come as as you are, live as you feel, God is accepting of any and everything philosophy.
  
  Have we convinced ourselves that God is sleeping or not phased by gross disrepect...?
  
  Have we misinterpreted the concept of 'living under grace? '
  
  1. Characters openly use God's name in vein on prime time television.
  
  2. Churches are desecrated by renting out the sanctuary to groups that the bible classify as reprobates.
  
  3. Artists, that claim to be christian, liken themselves to Christ and hang from crosses at concerts and on album covers.
  
  4.Many pastors and politicians are bedfellows, and some churches pimp themselves to the highest bidder.
  
  6. Christians are spending more money on beer and entertainment than they do supporting widows and orphans.
  
  Have you observed attitudes and practices in your church that you believe are irreverent?
  Do you agree or disagree that our society is irreverent to God?
  Are you guilty (or someone you know) of being irreverent at times in the way that you behave in church or in the way that you conduct yourself out of church? Do you think God even cares?
  
  
  

  • 4:55 PM
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