“As long as my intentions are good, that’s all that matters.” Maybe you’ve heard that, or maybe you even believe that. But after reading this passage, I think Uzzah would object. Sometimes our good intentions can be quite harmful to others.

So what went wrong with David’s plan? All he wanted to do was to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to his capital city. And why was that necessary? Because years earlier, the Philistines had captured it in battle (I Samuel 4:11). Surely, bringing the ark back was a good idea. Surely, David’s intentions were good.

The only problem was that God had very specifically described how the ark was to be moved. Since it was the visual representation of His presence among His people, it was to be treated with the greatest of reverence. It was to remain covered at all times, and it was to be carried by hand only by the Levites with the bearers holding long poles that were attached to it, so that even they were at a considerable distance from it. Moreover, God specifically said that it was not to be put on a cart (see Numbers 4 and 7).

So, why did David think putting the ark on a cart was a good idea? Well, it was practical. It was efficient. And it was the way the Philistines had transported it when they returned it to the Israelites (see I Samuel 6). And we still often make decisions in the same way, following our reason, our experience, or our traditions. We still let the opinions and practices of other people guide our steps.

But as this passage shows, when we don’t seek first the wisdom and the counsel of God, it’s so easy for even our best plans to slide off the rails. Unless we let God’s Word guide us in all we do, we shouldn’t be surprised when even our best intentions end in disaster.

So, how will you make the choices that will face you today? Will you seek the Lord’s will, or will you rely on your own common sense?

I Chronicles 13:5-14 (ESV)

5 So David assembled all Israel from the Nile of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.
6 And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD who sits enthroned above the cherubim.
7 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart.
8 And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.
9 And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled.
10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.
11 And David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza to this day.
12 And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?”
13 So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
14 And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the LORD blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.