1 Chronicles 13 records the account of how David endeavoured to restore the cherished ark of God to its’ rightful place. In doing so, Uzza put his hand on the ark to steady it when the oxen, pulling the cart with the ark aboard, stumbled, and Uzza was struck dead.
Uzza was the nephew of Abinadab, in whose house the ark had resided for years. Uzza may have often seen the ark in his uncle’s home over the passage of time. Even though he would have been taught its’ history, been instructed to reverence it and told it was only to be touched by priests – perhaps, in familiarity, he had come to view it as just another piece of furniture. His familiarity with the ark of God, and lack of adhering to the order of God, resulted in his death and the record serves as a timeless warning for us.
I can become familiar with the blessings, grace and favour of God on my life. It is a challenge to nurture and keep alive holiness in the fear of God – not a religious bondage that is performance orientated but sensitivity to the Spirit of God to guide me and keep me in a continuous state of humility, which is not only the key whereby I enter in to relationship with Jesus, but also the path on which I walk with Him. Colossians 2:6 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.”
In medicine a very small amount of a virus can be given in inoculation, in order that the body can develop an immunity to that particular virus. Regarding spiritual matters, I can hear a particular message so many times that I may think it is always for another person. This can be spiritual delusion. Beware of the danger of familiarity – the story of Uzza! When I ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit I can become inoculated against Him!!! So many seemingly good things can draw me away from the Lord. Ignoring His promptings results in my heart becoming hardened and I am immunised against the voice of the Holy Spirit.
When a person becomes hard hearted their faith just becomes a hobby. Their church attendance counts for nothing as their life has lost the vibrant expression of Christ in every day life and they become immune to conviction and God is silent.
I may have an understanding of the scriptures and their application to life, quote all the right sayings such as, “I am a work in progress,” or “I’ve not arrived but I’ve left,” etc. – but if my life does not demonstrate the love of God and the Son of God, it is nought but “wood, hay and stubble.” Ignoring the prompting of the Holy Spirit results in immunity to His voice and His word.
The Christian walk is a simple one of humility. Humility is the key, the way in and the way forward. The old hymn by J. Oatman declares this:
If thou would have the dear Saviour from heaven
Walk by thy side from the morn till the even,
There is a rule that each day you must follow
Humble thyself to walk with God.
Chorus:
Humble thyself and the Lord will draw near thee,
Humble thyself and His presence shall cheer thee,
He will not walk with the proud or the scornful,
Humble thyself to walk with God.
Just as the Lord in the world’s early ages
Walked and communed with the prophets and sages,
He will come now if you meet the conditions,
Humble thyself to walk with God.
Just as a stream finds a bed that is lowly
So Jesus walks with the pure and the holy,
Cast out thy pride, and in heartfelt contrition,
Humble thyself to walk with God.
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.” Col.2:6 I had to humble to first receive Him, I saw my need and invited Him in to my life. This is the continuing cry of our hearts, “I need you Lord Jesus, desperately, daily, for breath and all things pertaining to life – health, work, play, relationships – I need You!”
1 Peter 5:5 – 6 “……be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” I choose to humble from the inside. If I don’t then God will humiliate me on the outside – circumstances will demonstrate this. If I refuse to humble then I become immunised against conviction, resulting in shipwreck!
The message in the Old Testament book of Haggai is “Consider your ways,” to a people who get side-lined from purpose, God refers to them as “putting your money in to a bag with holes in.” We hang on to things and will not release the baggage when God comes to us again and again in His mercy, wanting us to let go, trust Him to forgive, restore and redeem. When God’s voice is ignored and I obstinately refuse the truth He brings me, my road leads nowhere in permission instead of purpose, and I travel round and round in circles never reaching the “Promised Land.” My heart becomes hardened and in my pride I don’t see that I am likened to an ant opposing a steam-roller.
In medicine when a person has been inoculated against a certain disease they can go freely where the disease is because they are immune to it. In spiritual matters, pride inoculates us against hearing the voice and word of God. It is so dangerous because we can sit in meetings, continue our daily lifestyle and not hear when God speaks to us because of our pride. It can become a barrier between God and me for “God resists the proud.” 1Peter 5:5
The good news is that there is an antidote to my pride and the devil. It is simply humility – I must humble myself, it is not an option! Our Heavenly Father, in His loving mercy, has made the way so clear. Constant humility is the inoculation and lifestyle that immunises me against pride and the devil. As I continue to walk in humility my body builds up spiritual anti-bodies producing a godly, healthy lifestyle in which my Father is well-pleased.
