17 March | EVERYONE
“But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. And when the men of Ashdod saw how it was, they said, ‘The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.’” 1 Samuel 5:6-7
Screams of pain are heard. Malignant tumors are consuming the bodies of men, women, and children. No one understood the reason until someone connected the matter with the ark of the Israelites.
The ark was just a vessel made of acacia wood and covered with pure gold. But it was more than just noble material: It symbolized God's presence. The stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, written by God's own finger, were kept there. However, even though God's presence was manifested through the ark, which did not necessarily mean that things would go well for the people just because they had it.
The ark itself had no miraculous powers. Nor did it confer special powers on anyone who had it in possession. It was in the Israelite camp when they fought against Ai, and yet they lost the battle because one of them had not been faithful. (See Joshua 7:1-6.)
On another occasion, they were defeated by the Philistines despite having carried the ark into battle. The culprits were two priests disobedient to the Lord. (See 1 Samuel 2:12; 4:11.) After that victory, the Philistines took the ark away, but God scourged them with plagues until they finally returned it (5:1 – 6:5).
The worst thing that can happen to Christians is to believe that the behavioral aspect of faith is sufficient for salvation. The Israelites thought that because they carried the ark everywhere, God was on their side, but they were often frustrated. True worship is not limited to going to the temple, singing, and observing religious liturgy. It goes further, into the depths of the heart to the intimate and personal recognition of the divine presence.
What does God's presence mean to you? Can you make your heart a temple of worship and praise to your eternal Father?
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Talk to those close to you about the importance of experiencing "God’s presence" all the time
and the benefits it brings to everyone's lives.