Uzzah's Mistake

So David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?”

2 Samuel 6:9 (NASB)

When faced with difficulties we believe are sent by God, the question that often comes to mind is: "Why did God allow this to happen to me?" In reality, we always know the answer, but we refuse to accept it or we expect God to act differently. This is what prevents us from accepting His will and understanding His teachings. Instead of considering the situation from His perspective, we want Him to lower Himself to our level to understand us.

You are probably familiar with the story of Uzzah. God had clearly commanded that the ark not be transported on the backs of animals or touched without His permission. Only the priests appointed for this purpose had the right to touch it. David, wanting to follow the Philistines' example, decided to have the ark transported on a cart pulled by oxen. Seeing that the ark was about to fall, Uzzah caught it just in time. The Lord’s anger burned against him. This act of God angered David because, in his reasoning, Uzzah intended to do a good deed.

What we always consider a good deed that will please God is not necessarily so. A good deed on our part is not necessarily one we decide to do, but rather one that involves our obedience to God’s will. Often, God’s reaction is a way of leading us to fear Him or sometimes to live according to His will, because, in our desire to please Him, we are often tempted to do wrong. David’s anger did not influence God’s decision to repent. On the contrary, it was David who finally understood his mistake. When you want to do something for God, do not let your emotions guide you, but consult His Word to know His will.

May the grace and peace of God be with you all.