Worshipping God Out of The Box
Albert Bogle
July 15, 2018
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2 Samuel 6: 12-16
12 It was told King David, ‘The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.’ So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing; 13 and when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. 14 David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.
The journey back home to the heart of God in everyday worship is never quite straight forward. In our readings this week we are going to use the story relating the return of the Ark of the Covenant to a central place in the life of the people of Judah, as a discussion starter for us, as we think about the rightful place worship should have in all our lives.
The Ark of the Covenant had a special meaning for the tribes of Israel. It contained the two tablets of stone on which the ten commandments were written, it also contained Aaron’s rod, which was a sign of God’s righteous judgements, and a jar which contained the manna that had sustained the Jewish people on their journey through the wilderness.
In bringing the Ark into Jerusalem David was making a statement. His kingdom would be founded on the Law of Moses, he would allow this law to rule with justice and righteousness and in doing so God would sustain and nourish his people.
What earth shattering changes might happen in our lives if we had the heart of David and began to place these three things at the centre of our lives? The journey back home is never easy.
Almighty
Everlasting
Father
In past days
You have given symbols and signs
To those who looked to you for guidance
In order to find a way home
Some made a special box an Ark
To hold and preserve your covenant
But Your presence
Could never be contained in a box
Somehow the Ark got lost, misplaced, stolen
But the truths that the symbols once pointed to still remain
Giving guidance to the homeward traveller
God of the Covenant
Use your law to convert and change my heart
Remind me that justice and mercy
Make your law a living witness to the truth
Nourish my weary steps
With the manna that is found on the ground
For heaven touches earth more than I can ever imagine
Give me the faith to believe
Nothing is lost
Not even the Ark of the Covenant
For your presence
Continues even today
Long after a lost artefact
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