Saturday, May 12, 2012

Ask God First

“Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul.” The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people. -- 1 Chronicles 13:3-4

It seemed like a good idea at the time. David wanted to honor God and bring the ark back to Jerusalem. He had the very best of intentions -- except he didn’t think it through. He didn’t research and plan. And he didn’t ask God for advice and direction.

We all do that sometimes. We have a wonderful idea and we’re certain that God is on board with it and will bless it and us because, well, it is to glorify Him. Except we never really ask God what He thinks. We get so caught up in what we want that we lose sight of what matters -- God‘s will.

This is particularly frustrating when people keep insisting that they know best. God wants this, they insist, refusing to listen to anyone else. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m a big believer in God making a way when no way seems visible. I’ve watched Him do it again and again. But only when it’s His will -- not mine or yours.

David learned that lesson. He was convinced that bringing the Ark back to Jerusalem would only bring blessings. He never considered that having God’s Presence among them would be anything else. Until David began doing it on his own.

As David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD, the oxen carrying the Ark stumbled. Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God to steady it. And God struck him dead.

David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?”

-- 2 Samuel 6:9

So David sent the ark to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. And the LORD blessed him and his household.

And David learned his lesson. He eventually had the ark of God brought to Jerusalem -- by the Levites, whom God had chosen to carry the ark and minister before Him. (see 1 Chronicles 15) And everything went well. It usually does when we’re following God’s plan and His will.

Sometimes God calls us to move forward in His will and with His support. Other times God calls us to wait. His timing is perfect and if He tells us to wait, there’s a reason for it. God may want us to prepare, to research, to really know what we’re doing before we go forward in His name.

It’s easy to get a great idea to honor God and rush forward without thinking it through. It’s wiser to consult God and ask for His blessing, before attempting to do anything to glorify His name.