long time since i blogged lol.. was reading 2 chronicles 26 after meeting shuyi today, and saw something which i probably had read before, but didn't notice properly..
(v5)
[Uzziah] sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper. Uzziah was a man of God in his youth.. He was king of Jerusalem (v3), he did what was right in the Lord's eyes (v4) and God responded to his faithful heart. Uzziah was someone who would be like a senior leader in church, someone who would be preaching from time to time in a zone meeting, someone other people might look up too, and God prospered his ministry. From verses 6 to 15, the Bible gave examples of how God prospered him.. and man, when the Bible says God prospered someone, it
means God prospered him in a great manner!
(v16)
But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD...But when Uzziah was strong! Many people in this world would become wealthy, prosperous, might be promoted to a high position in their companies etc.. However, what is our reaction when we become wealthy? do we forget the God element? remember, in verse 5, it says that
God prospered him. Uzziah's success wasn't purely based on his merit, wasn't purely based on his achievements - God was the key factor! but when Uzziah became strong, he became proud, and when he became proud, he transgressed against God.
(v16-19)
16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD—valiant men. 18 And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.”
19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. when Uzziah became strong, he became proud, and he began to get big-headed. God made it clear that only the priests, sons of Aaron were supposed to burn incense at the altar of incense.. but Uzziah thought himself above such rules and regulations.. who was he, to be bound down by such rules and regulations? he was Uzziah, the one who conquered the Philistines, subdued the Ammonites. he was king, and he was powerful.. why should he submit to authority, why should he care about the priests now? and who are the priests, to come and tell Uzziah that he cannot burn incense for the Lord? didn't they know he was king? didn't they know that he wanted to worship God,
in his own ways?
but God's ways are always higher than ours.. as Uzziah went against God, God struck him down with leprosy.. and by doing so, God made Uzziah an outcast in his times..
sometimes it is easy to forget the God element.. sometimes submitting to authority is no fun.. but God has a plan for each and every single one of us..
for the businessman, God has put him there, that he might be the salt and light in the world, able to make a difference.. promotions come, pay cheques balloon, all in God's will, all for a reason.. are we so blinded that we would just take it as
we have earned our promotion,
we have worked hard for a pay rise, and neglect God, miss tithings, scrimp on offerings? and are we going to get so proud, that people under you have to remain silent, do what they're told, and leave no room for discussions?
for the leader, God has risen him up to minister to people, to input into others' lives.. TL, CGL, ZM, ZL.. are we so blinded by titles that we forget the reason why we were put in pastoral leadership, why we were promoted as leaders in the house of God? do we become so proud, that now, we want to do things our way, and others cannot input into the situation?
it is easy to become proud, easy to forget God, but it is a fact that whatever happens, it happens because God wanted it to happen, and when it happens, God can use it to further glorify Himself.. in the world, many people think only about themselves.. it's always about me, myself and i.. but God is a God of prosperity, a God of abundance.. and God chooses who to prosper, who to bless in abundance.. no matter how high we climb, no matter what we do, no matter where we are, remember verse 5..
[Uzziah] sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.
we need to continually seek God.. God puts things into perspective again.. God brings down our proud hearts, and aligns us to Him again.. He doesn't need us, but He loves us, and in loving us, made a decision to do some things, prosper us, provide for us.. the least we can do is to come to God, thank Him, and love Him back.. :)
