In 1 Samuel 6, the Philistines had a problem. They had taken the ark of God, and it brought nothing but trouble. After seven months of sickness and fear, they decided to send it back to Israel. But what they did next is what really caught my attention.
They built a new cart. Not an old one. Not something used for hauling hay or broken tools. They made a fresh, clean cart just for the ark. Then they picked two cows that had never been yoked before—two animals set apart. They even gave a trespass offering of gold. Now, they didn’t know God. They didn’t follow the law. But they showed reverence. And God blessed this by removing all the sickness from their land.
And then I thought about 2 Samuel 6, when David wanted to bring the ark to Jerusalem. What did he do? He copied the Philistines. He put the ark on a cart. And when it started to tip, a man named Uzzah reached out to steady it. God struck him dead. Why? Because Israel wasn’t supposed to carry the ark like that. God had already told them it was to be carried by the Levites on their shoulders with staves. They had the truth. They had the law. They just didn’t follow it.
The lost feared the ark. God’s people got casual.
And it made me wonder—how many times today do we see that same thing? The world, though lost, sometimes shows more caution, more respect, more honor for things that belong to God than the saved do.
I’ve seen unsaved folks bow their heads during prayer out of respect. I’ve seen people in the world speak kindly about the Bible, even if they don’t read it. I’ve seen them hush their mouths when they walk into church. Some won’t even take the Lord’s name in vain around me once they find out I’m a Christian. That’s reverence.
Yet how many Christians walk into church late without a second thought? How many treat prayer like a checklist? How many own three Bibles and don’t read a single one all week?
Here’s the truth: God’s people should be more reverent than the world. We shouldn’t be learning how to honor God by watching the Philistines.
God doesn’t expect the world to know better—but He does expect us to. We’re the ones with the Book. We’re the ones who have His Spirit. We’re the ones who’ve been saved by grace. That means we ought to act like it.
It wasn’t just about a cart. It was about a heart. A heart that takes God seriously.
So next time we pray, next time we open our Bible, next time we step into His house—let’s not bring the casual attitude of a careless culture. Let’s bring a heart full of awe, and love for a holy God. Not a new cart. A new reverence.
