“The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.” 1 Chronicles 13:10.
There are some people that do not like to read. They have found it to be a difficult discipline. However, if they don’t commit themselves to reading and knowing what is in God’s Word and following His word for them, they will fail to know and experience God Himself. God’s Word is life to a Christian’s soul, that’s why He gave Christians the Bible. It provides knowledge that leads to life.
The Word of God is a Christian’s initial point, the reference point of a Christian’s life and their guide. Nothing can compare to it; therefore, it is essential that Christians read it for instructions.
The Word of God tells us, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as My priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.” Hosea 4:6.
God has given us His Word that has specific laws and principles that must be followed if we expect His blessing. King David forgot to follow one of those laws related to the ark. “…But they must not touch the Holy things or they will die…” Numbers 4:15. When they were transporting the ark, Uzzah innocently reached to steady the ark but was immediately stricken dead when his hands touched the ark of God. Ask yourself, did David know this law or did he simply forget? Did Uzzah know this law? If so, did he really believe it? David thought it was okay to carry the ark the way Uzzah did. A man lost his life for his presumption.
Many believers take God’s Word lightly. They believe they can violate His Word without consequence. This is not true; the Lord stands by to uphold His Word. It can be life, or it can bring death. When God provides instructions, we need to follow them.
Knowing this about God brings a healthy fear of the Lord. “David was afraid of God that day and asked, ‘How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?’ ” 1 Chronicle 13:12. Christians must all have a fearful respect of God’s Word; because His Word is life or death to Christians. They must feed upon His Word daily so that you might know Him and know His precepts. They must delight in God and feed upon this knowledge and be blessed of God.
When Christians read God’s Word and follow only His commandments they can allocate their time and not have any stress in their life. The Holy Spirit will lead and guide them in the right direction.
Christians can back up their reading of God’s Word with prayer (talking to God) and reflection on their lives. Jesus’ life had a balance of quiet moments and active ministry into the lives He came in contact with.
How do Christians determine what their will be involved in each day of their lives? What keeps them in sync with the will of their heavenly Father for the daily tasks He calls them to do? Jesus tells us that He was only involved in those things the Father was involved in; nothing more, nothing less. So often we determine our participation in an activity based on whether we have the time to do it or whether we desire to participate. The real question we should ask is, “Does the Father want me to participate in this activity?”
“Lord, should I add this Bible study to my schedule? Should I spend an extra night out on this committee this week? Should I take on new business that will take me away from home more? Should my daughter be involved in music lessons?” These are the daily challenges for the world we now live in. We are an activity-based society that often encourages more and more activity, often in the name of Christian virtue.
Our lives will become less cluttered, less stressful, and more fulfilling when we follow the model Jesus provided. It may not always please everyone. Jesus never sought to please everyone. Ask the Lord each day this how you and He are to spend your time. Yield your schedule to Him. Let Jesus direct your every activity. You may discover that He desires you to cut back some things in order to spend more time alone with Him. He will be faithful to show you. And you will become more fulfilled because you are centered in His will for you.
