DAY 10
the blessing of His presence
David’s response to the death of Uzzah was, while understandable, flawed. First, he hadn’t taken the time to enquire why Uzzah had been struck down, and so he was angry with God. Secondly, he responded with a wrong fear, as opposed to a right reverence for God, and rather than bring the ark to be with him in the City of David, he took it to the household of Obed-Edom.
The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household and everything he had.
– 1 Chronicles 13:14
The fact that Obed-Edom was prepared to welcome the presence of God at the centre of his house, resulted in the blessing of God on every part of His life. Likewise, one of the keys to experiencing blessing in every part of our lives is to prioritise time in the presence of God.
Daily devotional
by Daniel Cole
The story didn’t end there. Obed-Edom was so impacted by being in the presence of God, that when the ark was eventually brought back to Jerusalem, he followed it there – his name appearing as a gatekeeper, a musician and a doorkeeper for the ark!! He was one of those ever-present and ‘willing volunteers’ that delights the heart of God. He clearly couldn’t get enough of the presence of God, which continued throughout his lifetime. Many chapters later we read how God had blessed Obed-Edom with sons and grandsons (see 1 Chronicles 26:5).
Take some time to reflect on the example of Obed-Edom. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I really welcoming the presence of God in my life and my home? Think about what adjustments you can make.
- Am I enthusiastically serving as a ‘willing volunteer’ in the house of God, the local church? If not, think about how you can use your gifts and talents to contribute to the building of the House of the Lord.
worship song
The Blessing