In 2 Samuel 7:1-6, we read how David gathered all the chosen men of Israel and went to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. At the time, the Ark of God was located at the house of Abinadab, A Levite of Kirjath-jearim, in whose house the ark of the covenant was deposited after having been brought back from the land of the Philistines (1 Sam 7:1). Although David was anointed to be king by the prophet Samuel at an early age (1 Sam 16), it took approximately twenty years for him to be finally crowned king. After nearly being killed by Saul and being hunted down like a fugitive all those years, David understood the importance of God’s presence in his life.

David prioritized God’s presence. His only hope to succeed as a king and for the nation to step into its God-given purpose was to place the Ark of God, which represents the presence of God, in the center of his leadership and nation. Like David, we should also desire to have God at the center of our families, our friendships, and our businesses. Placing God at the center means that every decision we make and every motive behind our actions is to be godly driven. Our pursuit of God’s presence was never meant for Sundays only, but rather an all-encompassing and deeply fulfilling pursuit of a lifetime.

In his venture to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem, David, along with the thirty thousand chosen men of Israel that were with him, learned the danger of familiarity. Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, made the fatal mistake of touching the Ark of God to steady it, upon stumbling out of place, due to it being improperly placed on a cart with oxen. Uzzah had the Ark of God in his home for over twenty years and displayed irreverence to God’s holiness by touching the Ark; something that was distinctly forbidden.

Uzzah is like so many of us today that attend church regularly, are involved in ministries, and have grown up surrounded by the things of God all of our life but have grievously become all too disdainful to God’s presence. Although we may not physically die like Uzzah did, but when familiarity breeds contempt, our hunger and drive for God’s presence dies along with the revelation of God’s purpose for our life.

Finally, David and the Israelites learned that God has a clear pattern of pursuit that needs to be followed. The way in which the Ark of God was carried that day was “on a new cart” (1 Sam 6:3), and not the prescribed way originally given to God’s people in Exodus 25:12-14. The cart was to be carried by people using long poles that attached to four rings that were molded onto the ark.

The presence of God was always meant to be carried by His people. David wasn’t doing it God’s way, and God was not impressed in doing things in new ways, but instead is adamant that it be done the right way. David had to re-adjust his attempt at bringing the Ark of God into Jerusalem. After temporarily leaving it at the house of Obed-Edom, David discovered that God had “blessed the household of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him” (1 Sam 6:13). This motivated David to try again. This time, David did things God’s way and brought the Ark of God into Jerusalem successfully. What resulted was God giving him “rest from all his surrounding enemies” (1 Sam 7:1).

Perhaps, like David, you may have missed your chance to do things God’s way. Or, maybe you are someone who has gotten too familiar with the things of God that you have lost your motivation. It’s okay to try again. Pursuing the presence of God in your life means prioritizing him in your decisions, having a reverence for the things of God, and yielding and submitting to His way.