Ready to Try Again
Opening Prayer
God, let us come before You with holy reverence, remembering that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
Read 1 CHRONICLES 15:1-16
[1] After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. [2] Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD chose them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before him forever.” [3] David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to the place he had prepared for it. [4] He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: [5] From the descendants of Kohath, Uriel the leader and 120 relatives; [6] from the descendants of Merari, Asaiah the leader and 220 relatives; [7] from the descendants of Gershon, Joel the leader and 130 relatives; [8] from the descendants of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the leader and 200 relatives; [9] from the descendants of Hebron, Eliel the leader and 80 relatives; [10] from the descendants of Uzziel, Amminadab the leader and 112 relatives. [11] Then David summoned Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. [12] He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. [13] It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the LORD our God broke out in anger against us. We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.” [14] So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. [15] And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the LORD. [16] David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What changed?We are back to the story of the Ark’s journey to Jerusalem. David is now ready to try again, but first (guess what?), he gathers all of Israel together (3), demonstrating once again his understanding that without unity among his people nothing will be achieved. How often church leaders move on, without turning to check whether anyone is following!This time the preparations must be meticulous. First, David chooses a place for the Ark to rest. Next, he prepares the priests and Levites for the task of transportation. They are qualified by birth for the task but they must also be spiritually fit (14). This time there will be due care and reverence (13). Good leadership is prepared to learn, to change and to grow, and inspired leaders are not afraid of administrative detail. They may not do the job themselves, but they see that it gets done! So the music strikes up and the procession prepares to move with “a joyful sound.” King David is once again proving to be a model for all who aspire to leadership within the church of God.
Apply
Seek God. Remember that we follow One who did only what he saw the Father doing. Let us do life this way!
Closing prayer
Lord of heaven, please help me to move in step with You rather than offer sacrifices of my own choosing.
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