Daily EncouragementSample

This incident pulls us up with a start, even if our reaction is not as violent as David’s was. At the thought of Uzzah’s death we share his fear of God. So it was at a later date when Ananias and Sapphira died: “Great fear seized the whole church” (Acts 5:11).

Let us heed the warning: we employ “the arm of flesh” in maintaining the testimony of the Lord at our peril. “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does,” (2 Cor. 10:3); we do not do business, we do not present our image, we do not count success “as the world does.” If we do, we are already reaching out our hands to steady the ark, and it is only through the Lord’s mercy that we are not struck down.

Let us be encouraged: God’s ark is not dependent upon the steadying hand of man. “The church, which is his body” is proof enough. Jesus said. “I will build my church” - and if in the face of that promise, with its implications of the cross, any Peter reaches out his hand with a “Never, Lord!” the divine anger is manifested again with the words, “Out of my sight, Satan!” (Matt. 16:17-23).