February 26, 2024

Passage Read: 1 Chronicles 11-14
Meditation Verses: 13:12-14

Thought

The Lord is both very good and at the same time very frightening! David has been so blessed by the Lord, now made king, prospering, and he desires to seek the Lord more and better than before, so he brings the ark to Jerusalem. Incorrectly, though, and as a result, Uzzah dies. David is afraid of the Lord and halts the progression. Obed-edom gets temporary responsibility for the ark, and God blesses his house. God is good to those who dwell with Him, but He is also frightening! If you do what He asks, which seems little, He has blessing for you. But if you do what is wrong, He can be quick to discipline, and that discipline can be brutal. So there can be a longing for the Lord to be near, but a fear that causes us to keep Him at arm's length.

Application

But the Lord is only harsh with those who don't care to know His ways yet are bold to draw near in their ignorance. Those who care to know Him and to serve Him as He desires, they can enjoy great favor and blessing. The Lord is frightening, which should not drive me away but move me to take seriously how He wants me to draw near. The blessing that comes from drawing near to Him should outweigh the cost of knowing what He desires and doing it. But sadly, especially in so rich a nation, the blessings we can obtain without knowing Him are good enough for so many of us. So we have no clue how much better His blessing can be, especially when it comes with so many restrictions and can cost everything on earth. But truly, there is nothing on earth that can compare to the blessing of knowing Christ, walking with Him and serving Him and His kingdom. It is worth far more than all I can and should give up in this life.