"I've got a better idea... than God"

Try to recall the Old Testament story referred to in this verse.

 8 While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning.

Doctrine & Covenants 85:8

Poor Uzzah. Here is the sad story about how thinking we know better than God, can lead to death. In 2 Samual 6:1-8, the Ark of the Covenant was being moved to a new location. Although Numbers 7:6-9 clearly says to carry, and not use a wagon, to transport the Ark, someone thought that it would be much more efficient and logical to use a cart. Then when the oxen were on some unsteady ground, the cart began to rock and Uzzah put his hand on the Ark to steady it.  Numbers 1:51 also clearly states that only certain Levites could ever touch the Ark, or death would come.  But Uzzah didn’t want the Ark to fall out of the cart; surely this would be a good time to make an exception to the commandment. But God smote Uzzah dead on the spot. 

So what is the lesson for us? Have you ever felt like you had a good logical reason, which made it OK to disobey God. “But this is different.” “Yeah, but this is for the greater good.” Willful disobedience to God might not bring immediate death, but over time it often brings spiritual death.

Today’s Takeaway: Consider if there is a standard or commandment God has given where you have decided it is OK to make yourself an exception.  Is there an area you are compromising “for the greater good”?  Trust God enough to know He will support us and take care of things if we will be faithful.  

Skewed Perspective

 4 And they shall also be crowned with blessings from above, yea, and with commandments not a few, and with revelations in their time—they that are faithful and diligent before me.

Doctrine & Covenants 59:4

The context of this verse is that the Lord was speaking to the Church members who had just gotten to Zion, and He was sharing some of the wonderful things they could expect.  Do you see them in the verse? “Blessings from above… revelations in their time… commandments not a few”.  Wait; can we really think of getting more commandments as a wonderful thing?  In this coming Conference, if the Prophet were to say, “The Lord has revealed to me ten additional commandments we are to now live by…” would your shoulders slouch forward, and would you say, “Oh no…”?  Or would you be thrilled?

As usual, Satan has tried to turn things around.  Satan has tried to get people to believe that the commandments are a burden, rather than a blessing.  Look for what Joseph Smith taught about the connection of commandments and happiness. He said, “[God] never will institute an ordinance or give a commandment to His people that is not calculated in its nature to promote that happiness which He has designed, and which will not end in the greatest amount of good and glory to those who become the recipients of His law and ordinances.”

( History of the Church, 5:135. )

I love how he says “calculated” to bring happiness.  So if you really believe that teaching, then the more commandments, the better.  Glenn L. Pace said it this way, “The commandments you observe were not given by a dispassionate God to prevent you from having fun, but by a loving Father in Heaven who wants you to be happy while you are living on this earth as well as in the hereafter."

Today’s Takeaway: Think through the commandments.  Is there a single one that won’t leave you far happier in the end? Can you see how the breaking of that commandment will eventually lead to misery? Is there a particular commandment where you have been in rebellion to God?  Surrender to God in that area so you can avoid the misery and embrace the greater happiness.