May 3, 2012 … Bring the “Ark” of Worship Back Into Our Life

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 1st Chronicles, Chapters 13-16 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage: … 1st Chronicles 13: 1-4 … 1 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, "If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. 3 Let us bring the ark of our God back to us, for we did not inquire of it during the reign of Saul." 4 The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.
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Highlight Passage #2: … 1st Chronicles 15: 28-29 … 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, with the sounding of rams' horns and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps. 29 As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart. 

My Journal for Today: Today’s chronological read, 1st Chronicles, Chapters 13-16, linked for your study above, means a lot to me personally. After I was drawn out of my worship of self and sin back in 1983, I was led by a God path (long story) to the current local church and body of Christ which is my “home church,” the place where I come for corporate worship on Sundays and the family of God where I join to worship God through my involvement in the worship of service on a daily basis.

King David in the chapters I read today, took note of the fact that the corporate worship of God had become dry and stale during the times of Saul; and David was led to reinstitute exciting and joyful worship of God among God’s people. To do this, he brought back the Ark of the Covenant from where it had been stored back to Jerusalem, the “City of David.” He built a beautiful place for the people to receive and cherish the Ark; and when they brought the Ark into the city, David showed how excited he was to have a special place where he and God’s people could COME TOGETHER to worship God … just as God had desired it when the Ark was built by Moses and place in a Tabernacle for the people to worship God in their lives everyday … anytime their hearts so desired.

My friend, do you have a place in your heart which is reserved for worship? Has the “Ark of God’s New Covenant” been brought into your special place of personal worship so that you can worship our Lord everyday and in every way with your 24/7 devotion to our Lord?

Are you as excited about your life of worship as you could be … or should be? I can remember a time when worship was dull and dreary for me, almost lifeless. In fact when I saw people raising their hands and even shedding tears of joy during a Sunday morning service as they sang songs of praise in our church; or when I saw people get down on their knees to pray, many times sobbing with joy because of their expressions of worship to God, … it all just was embarrassing to me … just as it apparently was for Michal, David’s wife, when King David danced for joy when the Ark was brought back into Jerusalem [see 1st Chronicles 15: 29 above].

What I’m saying here is that we need to bring back the “Ark of Worship” into our lives and have a joyful and excitement in worshipping our Lord every day of our lives. Years ago, a spiritual mentor of mine helped me to bring the “Ark” of worship into my heart when he shepherded me to bring God’s word into my life with a more disciplined and daily pursuit of the “Ark” of God’s word. And when I brought God’s word into my life as part of MY personal and daily worship life, God showed me the joy that comes from pursuing Him through His truth; and my worship life became exponentially more exciting.

Now, … when I come together with God’s people to worship on a Sunday, I’m there to worship, not to just be doing the “church-thing” on Sunday mornings. When I come to this quiet place each morning – where I am right now - to pray, to listen to praise music, and to immerse myself in God’s word, I experience the joy of my salvation, just like David must have when he brought the Ark of God’s Covenant back into the City of God.

Oh, how I hope that you have a rich, … joyful, … and fruitful life of worship, my dear one. Life becomes so much more meaningful and exciting when it is a life of worship and not just a life of being seen as a “christian.” Let me pray that exactly that for you and for me.

My Prayer Today: … Lord, help anyone who reads here with me to bring back Your Ark of Covenant worship into our lives so that we can worship You with all we think, say, and do. Amen