Teach the Children - Day 175 Through The Bible

A Doe and Her Fawn in Ayles Creek Yesterday - near Mt. Celo Church - a blurred iPhone photo!

Gleanings from Today's Readings

The Day King David Was Afraid of God - 1 Chronicles 13 - Many times I have not been able to understand why God has allowed some tragedy to a good person or permitted an evil person to get away with treachery - (the Asaph dilemma).  In this recounting of the return of the ark to Jerusalem, Uzza is struck dead for putting out his hand to stop the ark from falling when the oxen stumbled.  "Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.  And David became angry because of the LORD's outbreak against Uzza.  It might be noteworthy that just prior to Uzza's rescue attempt of the ark, David and all Israel "played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets." David had boldly and faithfully decided to bring the ark back to Jerusalem, but after the death of Uzza, he abandoned the plan.  The ark stayed with Obed-Edom in his house for 3 months.

My Lessons/Applications/Contemplations - I have a tiny inkling of how David might have felt.  I had spent hours every day in prayer, study and drawing near to God several years ago.  Then within that time, my world fell apart with tragedy and loss.  Every prayed-out decision seemed to turn to ashes.  We can wonder if Uzza should have trusted God to keep the ark from harm since the Almighty God dwelt in it.  We know very strict commands were given as to how the ark was to be handled.
Was this a violation of the holiness of God?  Why did David allow this and then get angry? Did David err in asking for Israel's opinion to bring the ark back, though it doesn't say he directly asked God?  Why do plans that are done for God and in prayer to God turn against us at times? We can speculate on why this happened, but even David seemed not to understand. This is the only time I recall David being angry with God...not with the punishment death of his first born...not with the incessant threats on his life from Saul...not with his exile...but this - in a moment of faith, rejoicing and honoring God and His sacred ark that is answered with death, horror and God's anger.  Not understanding "why" was even difficult for this faithful king of Israel. For God's answer to this dilemma, read tomorrow's blog post.

Teach the Children - Psalm 78:1-11 - This contemplation of Asaph stresses the importance of passing along the law and Word of God to the next generation.  "We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.  For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers...THAT they should make them known to their children...That the generation to come might know them...THAT they may arise and declare them to their children...THAT they may set their hope in God...and not forget the works of God...but keep His commandments...and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation...that did not set its heart aright...whose spirit was not faithful to God."

My Lessons and Applications:  The summer months bring one of my fondest memories of childhood - Vacation Bible School.  I also look back to the excellent Bible teaching I had from both men and women in Sunday School and the youth groups.  But it is not just - or primarily - the church that should be passing this knowledge of God and His Word on to the children...and not just the mothers.  In fact, the stress in the Bible...the command...is for the fathers to teach the children...about God, about His commandments.  Where does our parental focus have its greatest focus - on academics...sports...awards...?  Are we faithfully passing along essential Biblical precepts to our children and grandchildren as commanded?