CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL November 6, 2021. (IS GOD IN YOUR RESPECTED ARK?)
TOPIC: IS GOD IN YOUR RESPECTED ARK?
Read 1 Samuel 4:4-11
4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook.
6 Now when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, “What does the sound of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean? ” Then they understood that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp.
7 So the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “God has come into the camp!” And they said, “Woe to us! For such a thing has never happened before.
8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.
9 Be strong and conduct yourselves like men, you Philistines, that you do not become servants of the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Conduct yourselves like men, and fight!” 10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. There was a very great slaughter, and there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.
11 Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
MEMORISE: Also the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died (1 Samuel 4:11)
EXPOSITION
The Israelites had sinned, and God had given enemies upper hand against them. Disaster always greets sin. In the course of trying to fight the God-orchestrated battle against God Himself, they thought of introducing the Ark they thought represented God’s presence, and God Himself, but they missed it.
Did the staff of Elisha work in the hand of Gehazi? No! (2 Kgs. 4:29ff). Why? Sin! Conversely, did the mantle of Elijah work in the hands of Elisha to part River Jordan into two? Yes! (2 Kgs. 2:12-15). The same Spirit of righteousness worked in both of them.
We have to be careful the way we cherish and promote those spiritual paraphernalia around us today – sanctified waters, holy rivers, mountains, memorial sites, ‘powerful’ clothes, fasting, etc. Can all these replace our “relationship” with God? The Israelites also thought that because the Ark of Covenant carried Yahweh’s presence, it must work, regardless of their spiritual conditions. They missed it!
A living instrument won’t work in the hands of a dead man. The most potent AK-47 is rendered ineffective in the hands of a dead soldier as today is the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. The unconfessed, unsettled sin of Israel, most especially, the very sons of Eli, had rendered the Ark an ordinary wood void of God’s presence and power. The presence of God doesn’t abide where unresolved sins have field day (Psa. 66:18; Isa. 59:1,2; Jn. 9:31).
It doesn’t matter how anointed or gifted you think you are, if you are in sin, God isn’t with you. Better repent before ending up like Samson (Jdg. 16:19-21). Israel realised too late that God wasn’t in the empty ark they carried to the warfront. Check your attitude to sin! Do you know that some people carry the Bible (some even put it on their cars’/buses’ dashboards, obviously for protection) but it isn’t working for them because of the condition of their hearts?
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord, help me to be sincere with myself and You as regards my true spiritual condition.
2. Holy Spirit, help me to make amends wherever needed, so that I don’t continue to cause myself avoidable pains because of disobedience.
3. Lord, help churches to be more concerned with Your presence than the programmes and ordinances we flaunt amidst ourselves.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Jeremiah 27:21 – 30:12, Titus 3:2 – 3:15; Philemon 1:1 – 1:7
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!
