The Priority of His Presence
Verses:1 Chronicles 13:2-6
"And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, that they may gather themselves unto us: And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we inquired not at it in the days of Saul. And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjathjearim. And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it. And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart."
In the early, hopeful days of his reign, King David’s first thought was not of consolidating power, building a palace, or securing his borders. His heart, shaped by years in the wilderness and tuned to the frequency of heaven, was drawn to one thing above all else: the manifest presence of God, symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant. This was not a command he received from God; it was a desire that erupted from the depths of his spirit. After the neglect of Saul’s era, where God was treated as a secondary consultant, David’s first initiative was to restore the Ark to its central place. He understood a profound truth that we must grasp: a life of true confidence and purpose is impossible unless God is enthroned at its very center. For David, a life without God’s tangible presence was no life at all, even if everything else was perfectly peaceful and prosperous.
What is most striking is the condition of David’s heart in this pursuit. He showed no residue of bitterness for his past sufferings—the years of being hunted, living in caves, and waiting for a promise delayed. He did not murmur against God, wondering why the Ark hadn't come to him sooner. Instead, he took full responsibility for what he ought to do. He did not wait for God to move; he moved toward God. This wholehearted, proactive love is the very quality that marked David as a man after God’s own heart. It pleases God immensely when we, like David, opt for Him with our first and highest priority, not out of duty, but from a genuine, automatic inclination of our spirit.
This becomes the true checkmate of our spiritual condition. Do we instinctively feel that deep, unsettling lack of peace when God is not given the primary place in our daily decisions, our finances, our relationships, and our thoughts? A true Godly person feels this ache, this holy discontent, until God’s position is set right. This is not to lessen the importance of consciously and willfully choosing to love God; rather, it is the beautiful outcome of that choice. When we daily, knowingly, give God the first place in every area of our lives, we cultivate a spiritual instinct. This practice eventually becomes our automatic response, a testament to the profound depth of our inclination and love for our Creator. It is in this place of prioritized presence that we find not just blessing, but the Blesser Himself.
Prayer:
Lord God, ignite in my heart a desire for Your presence that surpasses every other ambition. Forgive me for the times I have treated You as an option instead of the priority. Create in me a heart like David’s—a heart that seeks You first, not out of obligation, but from a deep, automatic love. May I feel no peace until You are enthroned at the center of my life. I choose today to give You the primary place in all that I am and all that I have. Amen.