You may remember the movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” an adventure of Indiana Jones, who is hired by the U.S. Government to find the “Ark of the Covenant” before the Nazis find it.  It’s one of those eventful movies that keep you on your toes as they are in search of the Ark.  The Ark of the Covenant is a very real thing.  It was a container built by the Hebrew people to hold the Tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.  The Israelites believed that God was contained within the Ark.  They guarded it with all their might and even were afraid of it because God acted out if one tried to put their hand into the ark.

In 2 Samuel 6:1-19, the Ark of the Covenant is now in the care of King David.  One man had already been struck down by God for reaching his hand to the Ark (vv. 6-7). David became afraid of the Ark and had it sent away. He later heard how the people in that place where the Ark sat were blessed in so many ways. So, David then had it moved into his quarters. Here is what I find interesting…”David had gathered chosen men, about 30,000” (v.1). When the Ark was in David’s possession, “He blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts, and distributed food among all the people…then all the people went back to their homes” (vv.17-19).

This story of King David feeding 30,000 people echoes the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. Here is the thing…when God is in our presence, anything is possible. David would never had been able to feed that many people without the presence of God! When Jesus was crucified on the cross, the curtain ripped in two where the people kept the Ark hidden behind the curtain at that time.  This is symbolic that God is not just in the ARK anymore – but in our hearts and everywhere!

Let us pray, Gracious God, we are so grateful that we do not have to find the Ark just so we can be near you.  You provided a way, through your Son, for us to always carry you in our hearts wherever we go.  Lord, we love you so much.  Amen.