The glory has departed from Israel...
The Israelites attempted to use the ark as a means to manipulate their odds of winning the battle with the Philistines - like God is some puppet that if we say the right words or do the right thing He will do our bidding. They never consult God. They don't ask Him for guidance. They bring the ark of the covenant onto the battlefield in order to manipulate the outcome to their favor and they lose. They lose the battle. They lose the ark. The glory has departed from Israel.
I have been thinking a lot lately about the power of God and His many gifts to us. I think especially of the gift of His presence with us. He is with us always. His glory is with us. Yet, I wonder if we are really aware that God is with us? Do we use words like "God is with you" as platitudes in order to try to comfort the lost, the lonely, the hungry, the bereaved? Or, do we really believe these words? Do we use the words like magical incantations - hoping they will comfort - hoping they will help conquer? Or, do we really believe? Where is God's glory in all this? Is His glory with us when we use his word - his law - calll upon His presence - like a magical incantation - to manipulate the outcome - to bring us success?
The glory has departed from Israel. They are still His people. Yet, they have entered into some dark times because they did not trust Him or His will for them, rather they tried to manipulate it for their benefit.
The glory, I believe, has departed from many lives - lives of His children today. Simply because we use the gifts, the freedom He has given us in Christ to try to manipulate Him. We don't trust Him. We don't go to Him. We don't listen to Him. We do all the talking and telling. We don't have glory. God is the glory! Without His glory, we are going to be in a very dark place. And, so this Ash Wednesday morning we being our Lenten Journey, considering that without God we are nothing. From dust we have come. To dust we shall return.
May God help us on our Lenten journey that we might return to the LORD, our God. May He help us so that we might learn to hear His Word, to listen to Him, and return to Him for our life and salvation.
Remember: There is only one God and that is not you! Bow down and worship the one true God - do not bow to your own desires.
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