Reverence

I don’t usually get on a soap box about much…well ok, I confess maybe a few times with my kids but it is rare. But lately I have been in the book of 2 Samuel studying the life of David while going through the Bible Study “Anointed, Transformed and Redeemed.” and it really has me thinking.

Much of this week we have dug into that confusing story of David moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and Uzzah touching the Ark resulting in his death. That story has always brought the “Huh?” out in me. Thoughts like “would the Ark not have crashed to the ground had Uzzah not reached out to stabilize it?” or “why was that such a crime that God killed him on the spot?” I don’t know about you but I always got so hung up on that that I failed to dig deeper into the whys.

In this study, Beth Moore pointed out that it had more to do with WHOLE HEARTED OBEDIENCE and REVERENCE to GOD.

You see the King David and the Israelites had the desire to move the Ark to where it belonged but did not seek God’s commands as how to bring it about properly. (See Exodus 25:10-16 and Numbers 4:5,15) Without seeking proper instruction they moved the Ark in the same manner that the Philistine’s had moved it. (1 Samuel 6:7-8) therefore treating the Ark just like those that didn’t call on the name of God.

Beth Moore stated, “We are sometimes tempted to measure our respect for God by the lack of respect surrounding us. The godless, however, are not our standard. God is. Through the pen of David, God told us to “praise him according to his excellent greatness,” not according to public opinion.”

So what does this have to do about a soapbox?

My boys sometimes call me so stuck in the days of old and out of touch with the times. They don’t understand my convictions when it comes to the House of the Lord, mainly the Worship Center.

My boys don’t understand what my deal is with not wanting them to wear shorts to worship or why I will not allow them to take their drinks or food into the Worship Center. I quietly shiver when I see a load of teenagers file out of a vehicle on Sunday mornings with their Sonic drinks, blast and yummies and walk right into the Worship Center to have a seat. Not that Sonic items are not good and yes on some days can be divinely appointed for this Route 44 coke easy ice kind of girl but I struggle with the reverence to God as it is brought into His House of Praise. If God has not impressed this upon your heart it is not for condemnation so please don’t condemn me it is just where God has me.

I know that our bodies are now the dwelling place of God and that’s a whole other topic but are the youth falling away from God because we are becoming more like those that don’t even call upon His Name?
Are we using the “it’s the only way we can reach them without offending them” and therefore losing them even more? Are we forgetting the reverence God so desires?

Beth Moore also stated, “God desires His presence and His glory to be a blessing, but reverence for Him is the necessary channel.

I wonder if the reason our nation-that was built on God’s Word- has been resembling those that don’t even call upon His Name so long, that this is why we are seeing God removed from everything.

I’ll now step off my box and bite my lip.

Cynthia