David consulted with his military officers, including those who led groups of a thousand and those who led groups of a hundred. David said to the whole Israelite assembly, “If you so desire and the Lord our God approves, let’s spread the word to our brothers who remain in all the regions of Israel, and to the priests and Levites in their cities, so they may join us. Let’s move the ark of our God back here, for we did not seek his will throughout Saul’s reign.” The whole assembly agreed to do this, for the proposal seemed right to all the people. So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor River in Egypt to Lebo Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim. David and all Israel went up to Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim) in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who sits enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by his Name.
They transported the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab; Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart, while David and all Israel were energetically celebrating before God, singing and playing various stringed instruments, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. When they arrived at the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to take hold of the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark. He died right there before God. 1 Chronicles 13:1-10
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What King David intended was good. He wanted to bring the Ark of the Lord back where it belonged. He celebrated before God, which was good. His heart was in the right place, but good intentions aren’t enough. Uzzah died because David didn’t consider beyond his good intentions to think through what he was actually doing.
If we look further back in the Old Testament, we see the mistake David made:
They are to make an ark of acacia wood—its length is to be 45 inches, its width 27 inches, and its height 27 inches. You are to overlay it with pure gold—both inside and outside you must overlay it, and you are to make a surrounding border of gold over it. You are to cast four gold rings for it and put them on its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other side. You are to make poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold, and put the poles into the rings at the sides of the ark in order to carry the ark with them. Exodus 25:10-14
At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand before the Lord to serve him, and to formulate blessings in his name, as they do to this very day. Deuteronomy 10:8
New English Translation
Clear error: David had put the Ark of God on a cart instead of having the Levites carry it as God intended.
See, David had good intentions, but he didn’t follow God’s plans. For one thing, that was the job of the Levites, not his job, so he was stepping into someone else’s ministry. On top of that, he didn’t even follow the instructions for how to do it properly!
Before you get all judgy and holier than thou on me, realize that we do the same thing all the time. Yes, you read that right, we do that, too. We might not have the Ark of the Covenant to put on a cart, but we have good intentions without thoughtfulness toward what God wants all the time.
In and of itself, David was wanting to do a right thing, but actually did a wrong thing. What can that look like in our lives? Well, this can look like someone taking a ministry in a direction God didn’t want it to go, even if with good intentions they did it. Or, think about someone who is called into overseas missions, but in good intentions decides that their local church still needs them and don’t go overseas. Another way this happens, God says not to work somewhere, but they still begin working there because they want to be a light to the darkness in that workplace. Good intentions, but because they’re disobeying God, they aren’t doing good.
It doesn’t matter what your motives are, if you’re not obeying God, you’re living in sin.
It all comes back to the idea Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 12:
For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body—though many—are one body, so too is Christ. … For in fact the body is not a single member, but many. If the foot says, “Since I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. And if the ear says, “Since I am not an eye, I am not part of the body,” it does not lose its membership in the body because of that. If the whole body were an eye, what part would do the hearing? If the whole were an ear, what part would exercise the sense of smell? But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided. If they were all the same member, where would the body be? So now there are many members, but one body. 1 Corinthians 12:12, 14-20
New English Translation
We each have a place and a way that we are supposed to walk with God, just like a body has different parts that are supposed to function in certain ways. If the body parts don’t work right, it causes the body to suffer. And Paul points out what happens when a member of the body suffers:
If one member suffers, everyone suffers with it. If a member is honored, all rejoice with it. 1 Corinthians 12:26
New English Translation
When someone isn’t doing what God said to do, they are making those around them suffer, just like David not following what God intended costed Uzzah his life. When it comes to your life, you probably aren’t costing people their lives, but if you’re not doing what God has for you, then you’re really making life difficult for those around you.
Though initially it may seem like you have good intentions, in the end, if you’re not willing to surrender it to God, then you’ve stepped into selfishness. Paul makes a statement regarding selfishness in Philippians:
Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Philippians 2:3
New English Translation
Instead of trying to fulfill an agenda no matter what, look at how you’ll affect those around you. Are you looking out for them? Or are you trying to get to your goal without any regard for them?
I encourage you to take some time today and examine your life. Think on what God has spoken to you. Does that line up with what you are you doing? Do you typically see people being helped or hurt by what you are doing? Take some time to pray and ask God to give you clear direction on what He wants you to do. Don’t worry, everyone makes mistakes, I have no doubt each and every one of us have lived thinking our good intentions were the right way to go but ended up making bad choices because of it. Be encouraged by what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:
I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
New English Translation
Now, realize, Paul isn’t saying to be okay and comfortable with your mistakes, but he is saying that when life is difficult (which includes moments we mess up), don’t be discouraged! When you come out of your sinful ways, it shows Christ’s strength because clearly you are not the one who got you out of it. However, you do have to choose to let Him take you out of it. So, again, I encourage you to examine your life and pray for God’s help to walk in what He has for you rather than what you decide you should be doing. He has great things to come!