1 Samuel chapter 6
Sometimes I really wonder about God’s followers. There are times when we just don’t learn well. Take the events of this chapter for instance. The Israelites finally get the ark back. And what do they do with it? After receiving it with great joy, putting it up on the highest place available, and offering praise and sacrifice to it, they decide to have a peak inside of it. Unfortunately for them, this was forbidden (Exodus 4: 15 – 20).
They knew this. Why then was it so important for them to disobey the law and look into it? I guess that falls into the category of “make it forbidden, and people will want it even more.” What is the most consistently ignored warning sign? WET PAINT People just gotta touch it!!
We are all desirous of having or seeing those things that God doesn’t want us to be “looking into”, or involving ourselves in, or committing our time and energy towards. You know what they are. You know which ones particularly tempt you, and which ones you usually fall for.
There are reasons why God doesn’t want us “looking” there. They take our mind, body and spirit away from Him. They take us away from our relationship with God. Even Paul struggled with this in Romans 7:18 - 19.
Seems like a no-win situation! But Paul also encourages us in Philippians 4:8, “…keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t stop thinking about what is useful and worthy of praise.”
God wants us to think more highly of our relationship with him.
Even the Philistines did what was right with the ark by properly returning it, and offering sacrifices of sorrow for the problems (tumors and rats) they received for having it! There are just some things that God doesn’t want his people to be messing with.
What is it with you? Take some time to think about them, list them below, and pray for delivery from “looking into” them.
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