April 9 - Golden Hemorrhoids?

 Read today’s texts first: Samuel 6,7; Psalms 72; 2 Corinthians 9

MAXIMize YOUR DAY
When we are distant from God, we try to appease Him, but when we are in right relationship with Him, we want to please Him.

It’s a serious mistake to underestimate God’s holiness and power, but the things we do to appease God are downright funny. Using the Ark of God’s Presence as a magic amulet proved to be a serious disaster to the Israelites who lost it and the Philistines who captured it. But it is funny seeing Dagon, one of the Philistine’s idols, falling face down twice before the ark, especially when he lost his head and hands the second time. You would think seeing their god literally powerless before the one true God would have converted the Philistines, but instead we see them illustrate one of the chronic mistakes we as humans make in trying to relate to God - we try to appease Him, instead of please Him.

After passing the ark around from city to city like a hot potato (here you take it, no you take it), plagues broke out everywhere the ark went. The tumors referred to were likely open sores, not internal tumors, possibly bubonic plague because rats seemed to be involved. I prefer the King James reference to hemorrhoids, though, because I like to imagine what the golden replicas looked like. Picture a golden hemorrhoid proudly displayed on your fireplace mantle for friends and family to admire!

Samuel helps us understand what went wrong here. When Israel wanted to appease God, he explained that they first had to turn from their own idolatry (7:3). Relating to God starts with a surrendered heart. When we are distant from God, we try to appease Him. Gifts, offerings, worship means nothing to God when our hearts are far from Him (Isa. 29:13; Matt. 15:8). But when we are in right relationship with Him, we want to please Him. Paul is saying the same thing to the Corinthian Christians in our NT reading today: each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (9:7).

“Lord, may I never try to appease You out of fear. Your perfect love for me casts out all fear. Today I want to love You and please You because You first loved me!” (1 John 4:15-19).