Never be Ashamed of God.

Tuesday 28^th January 2020. Read 2nd Samuel 6:12-19, Psalm 23 and Mark 3:31-35.

_“And David danced before the LORD with all his might, and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the horn.” *(2 Samuel 6:14-15)*_

Today, David displayed his love and adoration for God by dancing openly before the Ark of God. All that David had on him was just a linen ephod. David’s dance was never to entertain anyone but to praise God. David did not even care that people were watching him. At that moment, David forgot that he was King of Israel, he danced like a child because he knew that before God, he was nothing.

To give us some background story, this was truly a glorious occasion for David and indeed the whole of Israel. Recall how the Ark of God was captured by the Philistines in battleground? How the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas carried the Ark of God to battle without reverence or respect only for Israel to meet with such a great defeat losing thirty thousand men in one single day?

When the Ark of God became a source of torment the Philistines, they thought it wise to return it. Upon receiving the Ark, David danced for joy and led the whole assembly in offering sacrifices to God. David blessed the people and distributed a roll of bread, a portion of dates and a raisin cake each to the multitude of Israelites, men and women. (This scene prefigures what Jesus did in John 6 when he fed the whole multitude with just five loaves and two fish).

Dear friends, one lesson we must take home today is David’s shamelessness in offering public worship to God.

In Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus says: “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

Many of us who claim to be Christians are too ashamed of God. Come to think of it: apart the fact that I go to Church is there anything that identifies me as a Christian? Jesus told us today: “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and my mother.” (Mark 3:35). Do I shamelessly live like a member of Jesus’ family? Do I do the will of God even when it makes me the object of laughter among my peers?

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may I wholly worship you. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. (Tuesday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 2nd Samuel 6:12-19, Psalm 23 and Mark 3:31-35).