Friday, the 17th, was my day off (Every Friday is) so I took my own advice and rested. Slept in a little then got up and washed my truck. I wanted to wax it but Jo changed her plans so she had other ideas for my time. 🙂 And that’s okay because my day off includes her. We spent a good part of the day together then came home and rested before fulfilling an obligation we made. It was during that rest period I had my Quiet Time.
My title for my devotion is Best of Intentions vs. Obedience.
I was reading today in 2 Samuel 6. David had been made king of all Israel, not just Judah. He took Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made it his home base. He fought the Philistines 3 times and defeated them each time. Man, those Philistines were hard-headed!
Here’s where the plot turn interesting and deadly. David is having the Ark brought to Jerusalem from Philistine territory on an ox cart when the Ark began tipping because the oxen stumble. Uzzah reached out to steady it and touched the Ark. He dies immediately and David is H-O-T. Verse 9 makes that point clearly. So the Ark goes to the household of Obed-edom where he is blessed. Eventually David brings the Ark to Jerusalem the way it was supposed to be. Verse 13 says, “And when those who bore the Ark of the Lord…” (Emphasis mine)
It is easy to consider God mean or vengeful when you look at the story of Uzzah. He was only trying to do what was right-making sure the Ark didn’t tip over. A very well-intentioned action. But disobeying the Lord, even with the best intentions, is still wrong. It started with disobeying the Lord in the way the Ark was transported. Levites were to carry the Ark with 2 poles through all 4 corners. Not with an ox cart. Disobedience is disobedience no matter how well-intentioned. It went much better the second time because they did it right-the way it was supposed to be.
“Father, help me to be obedient in all things, even if I have good intentions. To go against you is to be disobedient. Help me to follow Your way not my own.”
Wise and sobering—yet we can be so hard-headed about learning this. And we wonder why things go awry.
Hard-headed? Who do you know who can be hard-headed? 🙂
Best intentions come from us. Obedience comes from God.
No argument with that Glynn
Some things i simply have to chalk up to… I am not God.
I can’t say I understand it, I can’t say I like it, but I can say that God had a plan then, has a plan now, and has a plan for the future.
It does emphasize the importance of obedience. As Pan said, this is the sobering part.
I’m with you Ryan. So much I don’t understand or like. But I do have to trust.
Yes, disobedience is disobedience no matter how you slice it, Bill.
Glad to know you had a good day off with Jo!
Blessings!
I did. Just wasn’t long enough. 🙂 As for your first statement: spot on.
Good point. It’s easy to justify our actions that don’t align with what we know down deep is God’s calling.
True Floyd. That justification just digs us deeper.