Reverence and Relevance

       2 Samuel 6:1-7 contains a story about a man whom God killed for what seems like a minor infraction.  His name was Uzzah.  Uzzah was moving the ark of God and when it slipped he reached out to steady the ark.  God's anger was aroused and he killed Uzzah, right there in front of everyone.  It seems harsh, even rash.  But what was the sin of Uzzah?  And shouldn't we avoid it today?

       Uzzah’s mistake was that he chose convenience over reverence.  Now  God had very clearly dictated in Numbers 4:15 how the Ark of the Covenant was to be carried.  It was to be approached with awe because this is where the presence of God dwelt among the people.  The Scripture said that the ark must be carried by Levite priests and that there was only one acceptable method to do so.  It was to be carried by the poles that were attached to the ark through the golden rings on each side of it.  But you will notice in verse 3 they decided they would try a new method.  An easier and more convenient method.  They brought the ark out of Abinadab’s house and placed it on a “new cart”, and Uzzah and his brother Ahio drove the new cart.  It may not have been what God said to do but it was surely more convenient to transport that way, especially considering the house was “up on a hill” and it would be much easier to move down hill on a cart.

Alexander McLaren once said, “Nothing is more delicate than the sense of awe, trifled with ever so little, it speedily disappears.”  This is exactly what happened to Uzzah and it is exactly what is happening to many today.  The sense of awe of God’s holiness disappeared and they chose new methods of convenience over reverence.  There are more new carts today than ever before in the history of the church, and never have we stumbled more.  We have more shifts in methodology today than ever before and never has the ark of God wobbled more.  Everyone is talking about relevance.  Let’s be relevant.  Let’s have a relaxed atmosphere.  Let’s provide a dynamic experience.  Let’s get comfortable and be convenient.  It’s all about you.  I don’t hear much talk about reverence.  I think its time that we send those new carts hurling down the hill and watch them crash into pieces.  I would like to hear people stop talking about emerging with the culture and see some start contending for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.  Its time that we let the people that God has appointed to carry the ark carry it, and we all fall to our faces in prayer before the holiness of God.  And if we do, I promise you this, our reverence will bring about a relevance that people have never dreamed about.  If we had more trembling there would be so much less stumbling.