Lift God Up and Discover Joy
In 2 Samuel 6, we read that David set out to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. There was a huge celebration, when suddenly he faced a sobering reminder of how holy the God of the Covenant was. And this story teaches an important worship lesson: that we lift God up in reverence as He lifts us up in joy.
Lift God Up With Reverence First
David’s joy turned to fear when Uzzah was struck down for touching the ark (2 Samuel 6:6-7). This devastating event wasn’t centred on punishment, but to serve as a reminder of God’s holiness.
In this age, living under the New Covenant, we have the freedom to slide into worship casually, but would be wise not to. Lest we forget the all-powerful God we’re about to praise.
David paused, reflected, and realigned his heart before he picked the journey back up. By the time he reached Jerusalem, he had a new understanding of what he was doing. He offered sacrifices and danced with everything he had (2 Samuel 6:14-15).
Lift God Up and You’ll Find the Joy Underneath
When our worship lines up with God’s holiness, it grows. David’s reverence ended up fueling his celebration. He danced in a plain priestly garment instead of his royal robes, choosing devotion over dignity.
Thanks to Jesus’ work on the cross, we don’t need an ark to draw near God anymore. Through Him we can walk right up to his throne with confidence (Hebrews 10:19-22). Lifting Jesus up every day is how we honour God’s holiness and still get to live inside his joy.
How Will You Lift God Up This Week
A last note would be that worship isn’t just a Sunday thing. It’s a way of living every day with reverence given to the One who created us, loved us and redeemed us. This can be done through daily prayer, serving someone, or just saying thank you out loud to Him. There are dozens of ordinary ways to lift God up and let his joy meet you there.
Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts
- How do you hold joy and reverence together in your own worship?
- When have you felt real joy from simply aligning your heart with God’s holiness?
- What’s one step you can take this week to lift God up in your daily life?
