Today’s 333 Devotional: “Put Away Worldly Ways”

God uses man’s attempts to reveal His glory. But once someone comes into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, these methods and ways must be discarded, and God’s ways as revealed in His word must be adhered to.

When the Philistines took the ark captive, God brought a great plague upon them. Through their diviners they determined that the best thing was to make a new cart and send the ark back to Israel.

God used their attempts for His glory as the cart with the ark returned to the land of Israel (1 Samuel 6).

But when David wanted to bring the ark to the tabernacle, He followed the way of the world and placed it also upon on a new cart to carry it. But the outcome was completely different.

“Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart … And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:3, 6-7)

The Ark, therefore, remained at that location for another three months while David recovered, repented, researched God’s word, and returned. This time, however, he brought the ark back God’s way, and God blessed him.

There are many ways that humanity tries to connect with God, and while they aren’t the way prescribed by God, God will use them to bring people to the point of recognition that He is God, and that He sent His Son to die for them, and through belief in Jesus Christ they can be saved.

But once saved, these other ways must be put aside and never ascribed to again. So instead of going to daily Horoscopes and the like, we need to get our advice directly from God through His word.