David Was Afraid Of God
By F.B. Myer
“David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to
me?” - 1 Chron. 13:12
There was no reason for David to be afraid of God, if he conformed to the rules
laid down in Leviticus. There it was expressly ordained that the Ark should be carried
on the shoulders of the priests, because the cause of God must proceed through the
world by the means of consecrated men, rather than by mechanical instrumentality.
David ignored this provision when he placed the Ark on the new cart. He disobeyed
the distinct law of the Divine procedure. What wonder that Uzza was struck dead!
Fire will burn if you persist in violating its law.
Obededom, on the other hand, studiously obeyed, so far as he knew them, the Divine
regulations, and to him the Ark was a source of blessing; just as fire will toil
for us in our furnaces and grates, and be the greatest possible benediction to human
Iife, if only we carefully conform to its ascertained and immutable law.
God is to us what we are to Him. To Pharaoh, blackness and darkness; to Israel,
light and help. To the difficult, He is difficult.; to the merciful man, merciful.To
one of the thieves, the cross of Christ was the savour of death unto death, because
his heart was unrepentant; to the other, the savour of life unto life, because his
heart was soft and believing You need not fear God so long as you walk in his ways
and do his will.
He is to be feared only by those who violate his law. God is a consuming fire. He
will consume the evil of our inner life. But let Him be welcomed into your life
and home; let the Ark, which is the symbol of his presence, dwell within; bring
up your children to minister unto Him; and you will be blessed, with all that you
have.