The Ark of the Lord, also known as the Ark of the Covenant, was a tabernacle of sorts that housed the pot of manna, Aaron’s rod, and the stone tablets containing the Ten Commandments. It was created by God’s instruction and stood as a sign of His covenant with Moses and the Israelites. In Exodus, it is said that a “cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” It was more than a box that held sacred artifacts. The Ark was where the Lord Himself dwelled.
By the time we reach this scene in 2 Samuel 6, the Ark had been kept at the house of Abinadab for twenty years, but is now being restored to its rightful place in Jerusalem. It was a joyful celebration for the entire kingdom, and the king himself was right in the heart of the celebrating. It says: “David came dancing before the Lord with abandon, girt with a linen ephod.” But because of this, there were some who looked on him in disdain. How he was acting was below his post as King! But David wished he could lower himself even more before the Lord.
I always found this scene a funny one to imagine--a king, almost naked, wildly dancing through the streets of Jerusalem before a golden box. As silly as it seems, both to me and to those watching him at the time, his actions are certainly admirable. A king, a man chosen above other men, unabashedly danced before the Ark. The person in the highest position in Jerusalem was unafraid of looking like a fool for the Lord.
Are we willing to humbly acknowledge the presence of the Lord in our own lives? Or are we more concerned with the thoughts and opinions of others? As we approach the manger this Advent, are we approaching Christ with the admiration and love that is due to Him?
Do you acknowledge God’s presence in your daily life, even when you face challenges and negative opinions? What is one way you can humbly give yourself to Him this Advent?
