David danced before the Lord with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 2 Samuel 6:14-15

Devotion

All of humankind was created to worship something. The Bible reminds us of this in the book of Ecclesiastes when it says that God has placed eternity in the hearts of man. To worship means to show our deep love and affection for God, to declare him worthy of all of our praise, devotion, and surrender. God has planted a hunger deep within us for connection with our creator. That deep place is where our purest worship flows out of, and this flow of worship connects us to God.

King David, whom God called a man after his own heart, was the prime example of pure worship when he danced before the Lord.

King David danced wearing only a linen ephod. It was primal and undignified, definitely not in the order of kings at that time. At times he was uncovered and exposed in the most vulnerable way. The Bible says his own wife held contempt for him as she watched him dance. His response to her disdain was that he would make himself even more undignified and humiliated than this. God had chosen HIM to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem.

The Ark of the Covenant held the tablets with the Ten Commandments that signified God’s covenant with Israel. It was housed in the holiest place of the tabernacle and where God promised his tangible presence to meet with Moses. God had given strict laws regarding the treatment of the Ark. One of these laws was in transporting the Ark: it had to be carried on wooden poles, covered in gold, by the Levites, the ancient priesthood. The ark was not to be touched, and any person who touched it would die.

In this story of David returning the ark to Jerusalem, the Ark had been captured by the Philistines but later returned to Israel on a cart. David gathered strong young men to go with him to bring the Ark back to his city. Uzzah and Ahio, two brothers, drove the cart in the celebratory procession back to Jerusalem. Along the way, the oxen pulling the cart stumbled which caused Uzzah to grab ahold of the Ark. God’s anger burned against Uzzah for touching the Ark, and he immediately struck him dead. 

While there are many takeaways from this, they can be summarized with one point: God does not take it lightly when holy things are treated casually. David learned this lesson the hard way in this moment. I believe this revelation of God’s glory and holiness is what caused him to dance so vehemently before the Lord. In the rest of the story, we see the Ark being carried by the Levites. Every six steps they stop so King David can offer sacrifices and peace offerings to the Lord. Then the Ark is returned to its rightful place in the tabernacle at Jerusalem.

In our present day, under the greater covenant made through the blood of Jesus Christ, I ask how much more emphasis should we place on the purity of our worship? I wonder if sometimes I am like Uzzah, too comfortable with God’s presence in my life, and grow overly casual in my devotion to him. Yes, he is merciful, and kind, and gracious, and loving. But he is holy and should be treated as such. 

From beginning to end, the Bible is filled with examples and confirmations of God’s holiness and greatness. The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, mind, and soul. Then at the end, in Revelation, we see angels, elders, and people from all nations singing, “Holy! Holy! Holy!” How great is our God to enable us to worship so that we can commune with him personally and live in his glory!

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, we honor you and worship you. We lift the name of Jesus high above all things in heaven and on earth. We ask you to give us hearts that are sensitive to your holy presence. Help us to worship as we live out our lives, so others can find and follow you. We praise you and thank you for all you have done in our church, city, and the nations! Amen.

Amanda Durning
Location Support Director - OKC Location

Through her role as Support Director, Amanda connects with families who are new to Crossings, walks with people who wish to be baptized, and connects others with volunteer opportunities.

Resources

• Watch True Worship Message by Terry Feix.  
• Listen to What Else Could I Do by Crossings Venue Worship.

Read More Devotions

Explore other devotions like this one any time at crossings.church/devotions.