My Paisley Chair

Though familiar with the concept, I had to ask Ms. Google what I.C.Y.M.I. stood for. So, FYI it means “In case you missed it.”

You just had to be there! Have you ever heard this as an excuse for a joke that wasn’t funny? Yep, far too many times. (It’s not unusual for me to not get a joke.) Well… I wasn’t there AND … if I had been, I still wouldn’t think it was funny! Own it, sister – the joke was a dud.

Sometimes “I wasn’t there” (wherever there is) doesn’t work the way I wish it would and that is NO excuse! Just like ignorance of the law doesn’t get you out of a speeding or parking ticket. Just a thought.

I learned this lesson the hard way. While I was on vacation major changes were put in place that affected my workload. YIKES! I was held responsible for training, processes and procedural updates that were presented while I was out of town AND without WIFI or cell service! Not being there was no excuse!

Sarcasm Alert: Of course, I knew all the details of every change because I read all the staff meeting minutes, emails, chats, and memos the nanosecond I returned. But I wasn’t there! Was it possible to claim ignorance? Nope, not a chance!

To a point, the memory of not knowing and not being there came like a flood while reading scripture. (1 Sam 5-7) I can’t always trace my ricochet thoughts back to a root, but this one got me!

The Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of Covenant in bullet points:

• The ark represented the glory and presence of God to the Israelites, but not to the Philistines.
• When captured by the Philistines, the ark brought misery, instead of victory. (1 Sam 5:3-11)
• A fleece of miraculous proportions by the Philistines was set in place to get the ark back to the Israelites. (1 Sam 6:7-9)
• The Israelites were overjoyed to receive the ark. Yet God’s wrath was displayed against the Israelites for looking into the ark and 50,000+ men died. (1 Sam 6:19)
• Reverence for the holy things of God and following instructions is very important!

Did the Philistines look inside The Ark? Yep! Not only had they looked inside, but they also touched the ark and made little golden rats and tumors (idols) as an offering (1 Sam 6:3-5). God’s anger didn’t burn hot against them!

Note to Self: I can’t behave like those who don’t know God! That’s a DUH. Just because someone else “gets away” with something, doesn’t mean God won’t notice when His children behave badly. I know better or at least I should.

The Ark’s Journey

Only 20 years after 50k people died for looking into the ark (1 Sam 6:19), the Israelites wanted to move the ark, so they made an “ark cart” (2 Sam 6). Here’s where it goes off the rails – literally! Where in the world, did they get the idea to put The Ark on a cart? From the Philistines!

Scroll back to the bazar way used to get the ark back to Israel. A new cart, pulled by cows recently separated from their babies, was expected to walk a straight line to Israel. This crazy plan worked for the Philistines, not so much for the Israelites.

Instructions about reverence for the holy things of God were in place, specifically about transporting and/or touching the ark, not to mention the death of those who looked inside. (Noteworthy fact: Instructions for transport are found in Exodus 25) “You just had to be there!” Nope!

The cows stumbled, the cart rocked, and Uzzah reached out to steady the ark to keep it from falling off the cart. A natural reaction for sure. That “error” cost Uzzah his life! (Num 6:6-7)

We might argue that Uzzah was on vacation or out sick when the instructions were given or reviewed. These instructions were well known and rehearsed often. He should have known!

I continue to learn from the Old Testament about God’s character, His ways and commands AND the never-ending love story of His mercy and grace. There are incredible accounts of miraculous intervention, provision and protection. But the rules and regs! I am so thankful to live on this side of history. Speaking for myself, there’s NO WAY I could keep track of all those “do and don’t do” lists.

Help Me Jesus!

… and He does! Jesus boiled the commandments down to 2 things for us. Jesus said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Everything depends on these two things.” (Matt 22:37-40)

I Can Keep Up With 2 Things!

Of course, there are lots of instructions in the Bible for how those 2 things should incorporate into my life. Instructions for a life of joy, victory, and abundance are easy to find, and I never need to wonder what pleases God. Everything necessary for a great life is found in the Bible. I’m instructed to “study to show ourselves approved, acceptable unto God, a workman that needs not be ashamed.” (2 Tim 2:15)

I am fulfilled with a sense of destiny when I am pleasing God, because I was created for this purpose… for His pleasure! “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev 4:11)

Questions I ask myself:

• Is life really as easy as just keeping the 2 commands: to love God and people? 
• Is my life pleasing God?
• What am I supposed to learn through Old Testament accounts like the story of Uzzah? How does it relate to me?
• Can biblical instructions, given so long ago, be incorporated into my life now?   
• Am I missing instructions by not showing up and not being present?

Prayer:

Lord, more than anything I want to please You and fulfill my destiny! As I travel this adventure of life, may my actions be filtered through these commands: To love You with all my heart, soul, and mind, and love my neighbor as myself. Help me remember Your instructions for a full life and diligently pursue what honors You above all else. Let me hear the whisper of Holy Spirit directing my path as I continue to study. At the end of it all I really want to hear You say “This is my daughter, Carolyn, I’m so happy with her. Good Job Girl, come on home!”  Amen.

What does the Bible say? (scriptures referenced)

1 Samuel Chapters 5-7

1 Samuel 6:7-9 Now build a new cart, and find two cows that have just given birth to calves. Make sure the cows have never been yoked to a cart. Hitch the cows to the cart, but shut their calves away from them in a pen. Put the Ark of the LORD on the cart, and beside it place a chest containing the gold rats and gold tumors you are sending as a guilt offering. Then let the cows go wherever they want. If they cross the border of our land and go to Beth-shemesh, we will know it was the LORD who brought this great disaster upon us. If they don’t, we will know it was not his hand that caused the plague. It came simply by chance.”

1 Sam 6:19-20 But the LORD struck the men from Beth-shemesh (Israelites) because they looked into the Ark of the LORD. He struck 50,070 men of the people, and the people mourned greatly because of what the LORD had done. “Who is able to stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?” they cried out. “Where can we send the Ark from here?”

Numbers 6:6-7 “And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.”

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Revelation 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

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Until next time…