Trying to Find a Reason to Celebrate

Since before we were here, God has had a desire to dwell with us.

He created us in His love.  

In the garden everything was as God intended and created it to be. Then, sin entered. As soon as sin entered the world, our relationship with God was damaged. Yet, God’s love remained.  

He set up a plan to restore our relationship with Him when sin entered the world. He gave the Israelites the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle so He could dwell with them in that place and time. He came to earth and walked among the people to dwell with them. He died and He rose so He could prepare a place for each person to dwell with Him for eternity.

The road — Adam and Eve and all of us walk — is no longer a garden. The damage remains, the dwelling imperfect. This separation between people and God causes problems and struggles.  The roads people walk are filled with victory, but also tragedy, love, as well as hate, praise, but also criticism.

King David was on a road home from a victory when tragedy struck. In the days before Jesus was the Ark of the Covenant, a person could not randomly touch this place where the Holy God dwelt. Read the story in 2 Samuel 6 and look for David’s reaction in 2 Samuel 6:5-11.

The party died; anger, sadness, grief, and fear were kindled.

 We may have the same reaction as David. He left God behind and moved up the road. He wanted to further separate himself and the people from God.

God was too scary, too dangerous.

When have you experienced something like this? You are walking a road that is filled with victory … and tragedy strikes. 

On our roads we will find ourselves angry at the decisions God makes and wanting to just walk away. God has not changed because our perception of Him has. His desire is to be near us. The ark proved this to the people at the time of David. Jesus, and Scripture, prove this to us now.

God is Holy, which is scary and feels pretty dangerous. But God’s choice to dwell with us in Jesus gives answer to our fear and our doubt. 

God’s presence still brings the party, where praise and tragedy comingle.

In David’s time, God continued to bless the people with His presence, even in the midst of their fear and doubt.

David heard of the blessings surrounding His people and went to retrieve the ark. Uzzah was still dead. But it didn’t change God’s place with His people.

We hear of the blessing of Jesus and God retrieves us from our fear, our doubt, and all danger, because His place is with us. We don’t have to retrieve God, as David did. Scripture tells us instead of being housed in the ark or the tabernacle or a building, He has placed Himself inside of each of us. 

  And as David said:

“I will celebrate before the Lord”

We can praise God regardless of the circumstances and the shape of our roads.

God’s presence still brings the party, where praise and tragedy comingle.

We do not praise God because of the condition of our roads or what happens on them.

We praise Him because of who He is. 

We praise Him because of where He has brought us. 

We celebrate the Dweller and we celebrate His dwelling.

Up Next: Taking the Party to the Streets

In the Meantime: Watch this week’s Mental Health Monday Video on Celebrating Wellness and grab our Celebrating Wellness Tool from our Mental Health page