David—A Passionate Heart
Canvas: 20” x 30”
Time: Approx. 4 hours
Cost: $1,500
Artist Statement
The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. 2 Samuel 6:7 (NIV)
Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might. 2 Samuel 6:14 (NIV)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1 (NIV)
Doug contrasted Uzzah the Priest’s arrogance with David’s passion. Then Doug invited us to break free and physically express our praise to God. Because of feeling pressured to praise this way in the past, and having been frightened by God’s striking Uzzah dead for breaking the rules in his handling of the ark, this theme was disturbing to me. But I went for it anyway. Doug talked about how we used to deal with God based on commandments in Old Testament times, which continued until the moment of Christ’s death. God approached us first offering a relationship based on trust but we demanded a list of commandments to follow instead. And I, like Uzzah, crave a rule-based adrenaline life, yet I too go astray. But, David’s dance upon receiving the ark (symbol of God’s presence) breaks with tradition and foreshadows humanity’s intimate relationship with God.
So now, look up on the cliff, God in Jesus gives His life to save Uzzah! The staff represents a severe mercy: God allowed humankind the option of living by the law of sin and death for four thousand years until we were finally satisfied that we could not be good out of our own strength. Then the Good Shepherd became a man, subjected himself to the law, kept it perfectly, and surrendered his life on the cross to RISE and BECOME OUR ACTIVE OBEDIENCE. As we believe this, we want to surrender our lives back to Jesus as an act of worship, in the way we love, work, sing and play; we become LIVING ARKS of HIS PRESENCE, bursting out dancing like David in exuberant joy!