Living Alive

A Short Service of Worship for Individuals & Families at Home during the snow storm

2/7/10 No Perfect People – One Perfect God
2 Samuel 6:12-16 David Dances

First Scripture: Jesus Teaching (Matthew 6)

25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Pray… (with you family or alone) “O God, thank you for warmth in the midst of cold. Thank you for my many blessings. The snow will not dampen the joy I have in you. Help me in these days of being home or having difficulty getting around, to remember that I must depend upon you, more and more. By your grace, set me free & lift me up today as I seek You, wholeheartedly. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Note: During this “snowmaggeden”… remember God is with you!
Here’s some news you’ll want to note: SCOUT SUNDAY Special Presentation post-poned (hopefully 2/14) Also, SweetHeart Dinner, Saturday & Estate Planning Workshop sponsored by our Endowment Fund, Sat. 2/20 (9-noon)

Please, as God leads you, mail in your tithes, pledges & offering to Macedonia Church, 1941 Macedonia Church Rd., White Post, VA 22663

Thank you!

INTRO: “No one’s perfect, especially me.” Thank God, Christ is my “qualification” to seek God, not my own goodness. Here’s a funny example of not being perfect: “I’ve never killed anyone, but I have read several obituaries with great pleasure!” (Clarence Darrow)

SCRIPTURE: The Ark Brought to Jerusalem 2 Samuel 6

1David again brought together out of Israel chosen men, thirty thousand in all. 2He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judaha to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,b the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark. 3They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart 4with the ark of God on it,c and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songsd and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.
6When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
8Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

9David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?” 10He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 11The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.

12Now King David was told, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, 15while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
16As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart. (NIV)
Key verse: v 14

A MESSAGE (Don’t worry it won’t take you nearly as long to read it as it normally does for me to deliver it. Thank God for snow, right?)

Lately, I’ve been talking about David in the Old Testament.

David is a great man of God in the Bible, also an imperfect one.
David, who was a giant slayer as a youth, also faced the “giant” of King Saul, who tried to kill David several times. After his exile, David is anointed king of Israel (I’m condensing the story; read 1 & 2 Sam.). King Saul, who was trying to Kill David, and Saul’s son, Jonathan,
David’s best friend, are both killed in battle. David mourns their deaths. Also, David conquers Jerusalem, hereafter known as the City of David. David is about 30 yrs old.

Now, a great decision: to bring the Ark of the Covenant (remember raiders of the Lost Ark? And no, nothing like Noah’s ark – LOL) to Jerusalem.

In the ark: a couple of tablets (stone, engraved by God); some leftover manna (sign of God’s provision); and mainly – the Presence of God!

This is a joyful occasion for worship, right!?

One problem: Uzzah died, doing what I probably would’ve done instinctively. He reached out to steady the ark, thinking this masterpiece of God’s glory my come crashing to the ground. Ouch! God, what’s up with that harsh reaction.

Remember, God’s ways are not our ways. God is holy. I am not. Another advisory: moving the ark was dangerous business. The Hand of Almighty God might smite thee.

David got the message. He post-poned the parade. The ark parked at someone else’s house. (A leader knows when to delegate, right?)

But then, after a cooling off period, David retrieves the ark & begins the triumphal entry into Jerusalem again. But this time he’s more cautious, more humble, right?

Humble. Like dancing almost naked? Going all jitterbug crazy, in public, and in front of God and everybody?!? C’mon, Dave! What gives?

David is doing his version of Passionate Worship. I might add… worship is dangerous business. Displease or offend God – this has always had serious consequences. When we worship, we put ourselves out there, like David, running the risk of ending up like Uzzah, dead when he thought he was doing good.

My main point is this. Why would David dare to dance after what happened to that other guy? David may have concluded that true Joy in the Lord comes from abandoning one’s life to God’s will.

Some people express such “abandonment” this way: “When it’s my time, it’s my time. There’s nothing I can do about that.” (speaking of death)

Jean –Pierre de Caussade, in his book “Abandonment to Divine Providence”, encourages us to “embrace the present moment as an ever-flowing river of holiness.”

That is, accept God’s will. Abandon yourself to God, totally.
David must have accepted that whatever happens next, I’m in God’s hands. So, I can dance!

Dance with wild abandon!

Once you’ve abandoned your life to God.

There’s no fear of death for those who’ve already died. In worship, God kills us: putting to death the parts of me that are sinful; raising up in me a heart reborn in Christ!

What do you think? Want to dance?

Closing Prayer for you: I pray that God will bless you & yours this week. I hope to see you again next Sunday & until then, May the Joy of the Lord be your strength!

Resources: Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Abandonment to Divine Providence; M. Lucado, Facing Your Giants.

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