Uncommen: DistractedSample

Respecting Power

Uzzah was tasked to move the Ark of the Covenant by way of an ox and cart to Jerusalem. People were joyous and were celebrating by singing songs with lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 
 

But then something happened that reminded everyone (including David) of the power of God. The ox stumbled, and Uzzah reached out to steady the cart and placed his hand on the ark. The Bible says, "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God." 
 

Now you may say to yourself, "why would God strike that man down?" It looked like a harmless accident, and he meant no harm in touching the ark.

I would also encourage you to spend some time reading the first five books of the Bible (Torah) and revisit the detailed instructions God laid out for His people. He was very clear about what they could and couldn't do. 
 

Have you ever been shocked by a fuse box or live wire? You may not have intended to touch it, but power was running through it. The jolt you experienced was the result of being distracted enough to touch a live wire. My wife's father was trying to help someone during a Hurricane and was killed in their attic when he touched a live wire. He didn't mean to touch it and never expected to be killed from such an act, but that is what happened. 

Just like Uzzah, when we take our eyes off of God and His immense power, things happen. Sometimes those are unexpected, unintended, and irreversible events that we may wish we could undo.

The other part of this story is sobering. It scared David so much that he didn't want to be around the ark. He even took it to a different location away from Jerusalem for three months.
 

God doesn't want us to be afraid of him, but He wants us always to respect who He is.

Uncommen Questions:

Do you sometimes forget to respect God's role in your life?

Have you had a Uzzah moment when you were distracted and had an unintended consequence?
 

Uncommen Challenge:

I challenge both you and me to keep our focus on the power of God.

Scripture Reference:
2 Samuel 6:5-11