”David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness.“ (2 Samuel 6:9-12).
By Michael Adekoya – Dear Reader, as Believers, we are enjoined to be witnesses of Christ in Acts 1:8, that is, ”But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In other words as soon as we received Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. Having come to take residence in us, we are meant to be His witnesses in our immediate families, communities, localities and even to the end of the earth. Most Believers interpreted this verse to mean that we should go out to evangelise, yes it is part of it, but I’m here to inform you today that it is far more than going out from house to house to preach the Gospel of Christ. We can see an example of the meaning of this particular Scripture in our text today.
Well, let me give some background to this Scripture, as we must remember that the ark of God represented His power and presence to the nation of Israel. It was in the Tabernacle, behind the veil, where God’s presence dwelt and the sacrifices were offered on the Day of Atonement. I believe that the Ark was the most precious possession Israel had at that time. David and his chosen men dropped off the Ark while moving inappropriately to Jerusalem because he was afraid of God for slaying one of his men.
Therefore, he decided to dump the Ark in the house of Obed-Edom, but unknowingly to him, what he thought could harm him and his household eventually became a source of blessing to him, to his household and within three months, he became a talk of the town, he became and envy of the town,, he became a witness to the goodness, mercy, greatness, abundance and to the glory of God. Just like Obed-Edom, we need to make room in our lives and homes for the Lord. As mentioned earlier, every believer possesses the Holy Spirit within them. He is with us wherever we go, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that all welcome the presence of the Lord or seek Him continually. It is good to live in such a way that we welcome the Lord’s presence into our lives daily. To wake up in the morning to experience Him. To commune with Him throughout the day, and to speak with Him as we prepare to lie down at night. We shouldn’t come near to God just to receive His blessings, but it is good to receive His abundance. To receive all the Lord has to offer. To experience His presence and power in our lives. We should desire that for our families , our churches, and our land. Having the Lord’s presence will not prevent difficulty, but His helps are assured as we face those trials. Are you interested in the Lord’s presence? Make Him welcome in your life as from today! As the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and his house, others began to notice. Eventually word came to David. Those who were aware of Obed-Edom’s blessings soon told the king of God’s goodness. He possessed a strong witness to the goodness and favor of God. The life of Obed-Edom testified of the God he served. This caused others to desire what Obed-Edom had. Wouldn’t it be great if every child of God possessed such a testimony? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the world had to take notice of our relationship with Christ?
What if we all lived in such a way that it created a desire in the hearts of others for what we possess in the Lord? We have such an opportunity, but we must welcome the Lord into our lives as Obed-Edom did. Never underestimate the power of a life lived for Christ. There is always someone watching your life. They are aware of your faith, and many are watching to see what it produces. If you are saved by grace, you have the Spirit abiding within. You have the ability to be an effective witness for the Lord. Obed-Edom didn’t do anything special. He simply welcomed the ark into his house, this impacted everyone around him within three months and including the king. What would happen if we would welcome the Lord into every area of our lives? I am certain our lives would reflect the Lord more than they currently do, and we would make a significant impact on the lives of others. Desire, covet, be hungry for His presence and you’ll be surprised how your life will be a true example, an expression and an exhibition of Acts 1:8. Many souls through us shall be won into the Kingdom effortlessly. Desire to be a witness as from today, remain blessed!
