THE CENSUS – 1 CHRONICLES 21
David was a shepherd boy, son of Jesse, in Ancient Bethlehem.
He knew hardship. He knew danger. He was courageous.
God called him to be King of Israel.
The Lord said David was a man after his own heart.
David became a great leader.
He was also a great sinner.
Just like us, his sin led him to brokenness and desperation.
He cried out to God, the census was a great sin, forgive me.
God forgave him but his sin had tragic consequences.
The Death Angel killed 70,000 Israelis.
David and his officials repented.
God stopped the angel from destroying Jerusalem.
Overly proud of all his victories, David was seduced to sin.
His sin, pride, arrogance, “I did it my way.”
For a short while David forgot the victories belonged to God.
It deeply offended the Father, and His wrath responded.
Pride, arrogance, is a despicable sin.
The Lord hates it and will move against it.
We think it is okay to sway with the world.
It is a great stumbling block for our growth.
We belong to God and He belongs to us.
He loves us desperately and always seeks our best good.
“Come He says and sit with me and I will guide your steps.
I bring life and light for living.”
Ah but when we are winning, we drift.
Often recounting OUR victory, we forget it was the Lord’s victory.
Arrogance blooms, we lose our focus and direction.
The future dims, we sin, and the Lord calls us to account.
Repent quickly-don’t hit bottom-plead with the Lord, help me.
Our sinfulness is why Paul said work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
It’s our arrogance that trips us every time.
We don’t hear the Lord but keep on moving.
In our minds we think “this is the way, walk in it.”
Finally, after a while we recognize we have wobbled away from God.
Lord, please forgive me. He does but there are consequences.
Have we killed 70,000 Israelites? Probably not but we have hurt something.
Thanks be to the Lord, we recover.
Sometimes it takes a while, sometimes only a few days.
We hurt. We are embarrassed. We feel like dirt.
But we stay the course and reunite with the Father in fellowship.
Clay Corvin
May 13, 2023
Northport, Alabama