Elevate april 10

We continued to have an awesome time during our elevate services.

Vision.

Vision is the fun part. Having a great idea is something many people experience. Expressing that idea to others and getting them excited about it as something that is fun to experience.
working out the vision, now that's where life can get a little rough.

In a Bible story regarding David we applied the importance of following God's plan, and sacrifice in order to complete the vision God has for us to do.
David knew that God wanted to bring the arc to the capital city of Israel. David knew that the ark of God would bring forth blessing to the people of Israel if it could be housed in the capital city.
So David had a vision.
David got a lot of people excited about it.
30,000 troops, and a whole city full of people came with his leadership to get the ark of God.
David had come up with a plan on how to move the ark. He decided to put it on a cart. The card would move directly in without hesitation to the capital city. The troops would surround it in a ceremonial honor guard. And the people with praise and worship with all their might for the entire trip.
This looked awesome.

Then things got tripped up.

When the arc began to slide off of the cart, one of the people who had been housing the ark reached out to make sure it didn't fall. When he touched it he died.

Party Over

David was angry with God. I imagine he was also embarrassed, afraid, confused, frustrated, hurt, and maybe a few other things in front of more than 30,000 people. They carefully move the ark to a nearby house and everybody went home.

David spent the next few months trying to decide what to do with the vision. The Place where the ark was being housed was continue to experience blessing.David came to understand that the vision was from God but the plan had been David's. David returned to the arc with God's plan, and took the opportunity to humbly sacrifice before God in order to remember and should be in control of all things.
When David entered the city he was worshiping with all his might.His wife was upset at how undignified he looked.I am sure he was bloody,sweaty,dirty mess and only wearing a loin cloth if anything at all.This trip involved a slow walk to the city.A sacrifice was offered every 6 paces,about 3,500 animals overall.It took many hours and it ended in victory and celebration.
David response was he was willing to become even more undignified in order for God's plan to be accomplished. David understood that day the importance of God's vision but also the joy of following through with God's plan.

It is easy and fun to have a vision of where God might want us to go as individuals, as a church, or a family, but it takes work, sacrifice, and an awareness of God's pace,and plan for that vision to be accomplished with joy and celebration.