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PURSUE HIM RELENTLESSLY
READ
1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim.3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.
5 And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.7 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.8 And David was angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah, to this day.9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?"10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
12 And 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 steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing 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 horn.
THINK
In this passage we see David’s quest to bring the Ark of the Lord to his city, when the first attempt failed he could have easily given up, but instead he waited and went back again. Have you ever tried to seek God and just felt silly? What usually happens after this kind of experience? If we are determined to be near to God what should we do then instead?
God wants to dwell with us, commune with us and lead us to walk in His ways as David did. Often times we have to be persistent in our pursuit of God, He is not someone who is simply there for us to meet with when we feel like it and will sit and wait there for us to care enough to seek Him. He is the Almighty God who is worthy of our worship and praise always. What are the barriers you’ve faced in seeking God, in the past? The last week?
PRAY
These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.
David often used phrases similar to, “like a deer pants for water, so my soul thirsts for you O God” to describe his desperate desire for God
Ask God to begin to show you your need for Him, and that in response your desire for Him will continue to deepen.
Ask God to change your heart from impatience and self-centered to grateful and God-centered.
DO
When the prophet Samuel was first in the temple as a boy the Lord spoke to him and Samuel didn’t realize it was God. Finally at the urging of his mentor Eli, Samuel simply said, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”
Block out a fifteen minute space (look back at your list where you saw what things could be changed to make time for seeking God), and find a space you can be alone and uninterrupted to just be before the Lord. Take some worship music with you if you want or just be still before God Tell the Lord “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” and then listen.
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