Imagine God puts someone you know to death because you and they disregarded His Word. How would you respond? Bitter and resentful toward Him? Would you doubt His goodness? Would you run from Him because you see Him as unfair? Many people respond that way every day.
Not David.
After the Uzzah incident, David was humbled and chastened. He was, at first, afraid of God.
1 Chronicles 13:12 (ESV) And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?”
But then his heart opened to what God was teaching him through that awful moment. He needed to listen closely to the Lord if he was going to be in charge of the Lord's people. And David did. We talked about this in previous posts. How David listened intently to God as the Philistines attacked him repeatedly. We then noted how David searched the scriptures for God's prescription on transporting the Ark and establishing proper worship in Israel.
By this chapter, all is accomplished. David has organized the priests and Levites according to God's Word. The people are established to be the priestly nation to the nations around them. David has fed the people with a nation-wide feast and now he takes a moment in 1 Chronicles 16 to do something disciplined people should do. He gives thanks to God.
1 Chronicles 16:8–9 (ESV) Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! 9 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
That's just the beginning of David's song of thanks in this chapter. He continues for 24 verses as he enumerates the goodness of God to Him and all peoples. He continues in the next two verses...
1 Chronicles 16:10–11 (ESV) Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! 11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!
David knows there's nothing like the presence of God. But in the next two verses he makes clear what God's presence brings:
1 Chronicles 16:12–13 (ESV) Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, 13 O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
David calls on the people to remember the judgments of God. What a statement! The recent judgment of Uzzah was a personal one for David and now, after it's all over, David is thankful. You know what that teaches us about faith? We must learn to take God's judgments for what they are - training for our good.
What things might you be running from God over that you need to reconsider? What event in your life made you mad that was actually intended to teach you to do better and be better? I wonder who is still like David in 1 Chronicles 13:12, afraid of God or perhaps mad at God and you really need to be listening to God because He DOES want what's best for you.
If you regard the judgments of God for what they are - training for your good - you will learn to be thankful that He refuses to leave you to your own reckless devices. You will find that His Fatherly care for you, though at times misunderstood is just that - care.
And when we know God cares for us, the cares of this world cannot trouble us.
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