Angry with God?
1 Chronicles 13:11”And David became angry because of the LORD's outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called Perez Uzza to this day.”
“You have nothing to fear from ‘Dad’ if you haven’t done anything bad while ‘Dad’ was gone!” (Quote of Tommy Tenney author of ‘God Chasers’.)
Website:http://www.worshipjesusministriestrust.org/
I happened to stay for three days in an elderly couple’s home, to pray for an aged, sick man who was seriously ill. Their home was a huge place with several rooms, garden and spacious front yard with lots and lots of plants; however, due to the illness of the aged gentleman, they were not able to take care of their home even though they had a maid who was just doing the bare minimum. Due to negligence, the wash basins especially were looking horrible and stained, so I volunteered to use a little bit of acid and clean the basin with a cleaning powder. The aged woman was aghast! She said that the wash basins are to be cleaned with a special kind of cleaning powder and she did not allow me to even touch the wash basin. The elderly couple have maintained their vegetable garden meticulously, watered the plants, taken good care of the mango trees but, alas, they had forgotten, ignored and neglected to give God His due reverence and fear Him. The aged gentleman reads all the secular magazines diligently, watches TV programs, movies from morning till midnight, but does not even touch the Bible. We treat ‘wash basins’ with utmost care but alas we have been careless and shoddy regarding our walk with God!! I left their home on the third day with tears! But this message comes with a caveat that we would be punished for our lackadaisical attitude towards God! Read this warning:
2 Peter 2:9”…the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment..”
King David desired to bring the Ark of God from Egypt, hence with great joy the Israelites carried the Ark of God in a new cart, while Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. Midway at a particular point when the oxen stumbled, Uzza stretched his hands to hold the Ark, the anger of God came upon Uzza because he carelessly touched the Ark and he was killed immediately. Now, you must be wondering why should a loving God kill Uzza because he touched the Ark? Here is where many have missed to understand God and His ways! Please understand the God you serve and get to know His commandments! Are you listening? This is a ‘must read’ message for all of you! Don’t miss!
David’s mistakes cost him the precious life of Uzza! He was upset, sad, afraid and uncertain about God when he says, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?" Let me point out the mistakes of David, which would help you to track sins in your life as well:
Consulting wrong people:
The Bible says that David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader but he failed to check with God! (1 Chronicles 13:1) How often we call the whole world, do a google check, get a list of the best people in town, but alas, we fail to take it to God in prayer. It is not about doing a swift prayer over the ‘project’ that you want to start or whatever that you are planning to do, be it business or marriage – pray, listen and wait for His instructions. May be you ask, ‘how do I hear Him?’ If you are willing to wait, He is willing to talk to you!
When God called me for full time ministry work, I did not call up the best prophet in town, nor did I chat about it with one hundred people, I applied for one week leave since I was working for a multinational bank during that time, I went on three days of fasting and prayer, taking just one meal a day. All the three days I was at the church during the week days, sitting with empty chairs all around me, praying and reading the Bible. I did this on all the three days and on the third day I was bombarded on all sides with disturbance, noise and food smell because there was a wedding taking place in the evening. In the midst of all this, I heard His voice! There was no trumpet call or a voice from heaven, but I got the message from His Word and went home to share the news of my resignation from the bank with my folks at home and in the office. There was no turning back! Check with God! After the death of Uzza, David said:
1 Chronicles 15:13”For because you did not do it the first time, the LORD our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order." Some of our actions are reactionary rather than proactive!
CARELESSNESS/DISOBEDIENCE:
1 Chronicles 13:7”So they carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart.”
David and the team carried the Ark of God on a ‘new cart’ which they were not supposed to do. The Bible said: Num 4:15 “…..These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.” The children of the Levites are to carry the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD. We cannot concoct our own ways and methods, we got to follow His rules!
Friend, God had given us 66 books of the Bible and we are supposed to read and know the ways of the Lord; anything else is wrong. Do you hear me? Hey, I didn’t know I was not supposed to do it, is not the right thing to say. We got to know His ways! There are scores of Christians who don’t know: numerology, astrology, yoga are all wrong, please read the Bible everyday.
When my daughter recently received her first appointment letter from a multinational company, she showed it to me and she had a slight panic over the words ‘rules, our policies, regulations, strict adherence to our rules’ that were found profusely in all the pages, I told her that this was how it would be worded and I advised her to be loyal to the company and follow the rules. Increments, promotions and pay hike are promised for those who diligently follow the rules of the company and work hard. How come only the CHURCH and BELIEVERS expect blessings without lifting their LITTLE FINGER for God? Can anybody answer me please? They live in a mirage that they’re okay! Your Christian identification does not stop with you being born into a Christian home or because the name of your father is John. Are you listening? Or just because you have changed your name from Murugan to Peter, and you have taken water baptism, this is not enough for you to claim the blessings promised in the Bible. It is not enough that you throw away the idols but you got to enthrone God and His Words in your heart! Do you hear me please?????
When I visited a hindu convert’s house, I found numerous pictures of Jesus all over the house, and she seemed to be bubbling with joy over her freedom and happiness. I came to know that she had left her alcoholic husband and was now living with a married man who had his own family and kids. She said, “I love this man and he takes care of me very well and he was the reason for me to get closer to Jesus.” The devil is active in evangelism than you and me. This is what I call as the ‘comfort zone’ the devil offers, though the house had pictures of Jesus all around the walls; yet the place was stinking of ‘adultery.’ I paused for a while and told her that she was living a sinful life. She replied, ’what can I do and where can I go now at this age?’ Though we call ourselves as Christians, we fail to understand that He is our refuge!
WHOLE-HEARTED WORSHIP:
David repents for his mistake of not consulting with God and he decides to bring the Ark of God in the proper way. Proper way! Are you listening? He further appoints singers and musicians to worship and praise Him day and night. Read: 1 Chronicles 15:16”Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.”
Many Christians are like empty shells with nothing inside! Friend, it is not enough you hang a huge picture of Jesus around your neck or in your living room, please separate time in your busy schedule for personal communion with God and His Word. How do people straddle the competing tugs of work, family and spiritual life? Let me tell you one thing, I know what I am talking about, before walking into the mission field to work for God, I had spent more than a decade working for many multinational corporate sectors in key departments and reporting directly to senior level officers. As a mother of two children, I would pray, read the Bible and only then start my work and that is the key for still being on fire for God. Get alone and adore Him to prosper in life!
The reason few survive and stand for God despite huge temptations and sufferings is – the committed effort in praying, meticulous reading of His Word, the refusal to settle for easy worldly ways and clinging close to God.
