✍️ In the Old Testament days, the Ark of the Covenant was understood to be the presence of God among His people. When the Ark was present, the people knew God was with them. A day came, however, when the Philistines captured the Ark and carried it away. The Ark was with the Philistines, but they had no place in their hearts for the true God. Great tribulation came upon them because they had taken the Ark of the Covenant from God's people, so they eventually sent it back to the Israelites. My prayer for you🫵 today is to have a space in your heart for God Almighty in Jesus Name 🙏.

When the Ark was returned, it ended up being kept in the home of a man named Obed-Edom. This happened because the first attempt to move the Ark to Jerusalem ended in death for one of the Israelites. You see, God had given exact instructions on how the Ark was to be handled, yet when the Ark came back to God's people, they had attempted to move it in an inappropriate way. A man named Uzzah touched the Ark and he died. Now you can be sure of this, death will get everyone's attention and it did so when Uzzah dropped dead after touching the Ark. David decided it might be best to wait a while and move the Ark in a proper manner to a preferred place. So, the Ark was taken to the home of a man named Obed-Edom. I prophesy, you🫵 will always give God His proper place in your life, and your home in Jesus Name 🙏.

The Bible tells us that Obed-Edom was blessed by this experience. We aren't told how he was blessed, but he was blessed. It may have been in his wealth, or through his wife and children, or perhaps his own health - we just don't know. It is likely he was blessed in every way by the presence of the Ark, and more importantly the God of the Ark, being present with him and his family. May God bless you🫵 today, your wife, your children and your home will be called blessed today in Jesus Name 🙏. IS YOUR HOME OPEN TO THE LORD? This is an important question ❓, for it is one thing to worship God in church on Sunday and another thing altogether to serve Him in your everyday affairs at home. Receive grace to serve God in your everyday affairs in Jesus Name 🙏.

Looking at what happened near the home of Obed-Edom. The Ark had been sent back to the Israelites, but what were they going to do with it? David decided to take it to his headquarters. As he led the procession, the Ark of the Covenant followed in a wagon, and 30,000 soldiers came along behind. Just then the wagon carrying the Ark hit a rock 🪨 or hole 🕳️ in the road 🛣️ and it tripped over. It was about to fall to the ground when a man named Uzzah jumped up to stop it from falling completely out of the cart 🛒 or wagon. He touched the Ark and immediately he died. David was stunned, the soldiers were in shock, and everyone was trying to figure out what to do next. Just up the road from the incident was the home of a man named Obed-Edom. So, David went up this man's house and spoke to him. You can imagine that this home is way out in the country and is likely some type of farm house. Obed-Edom heard and saw the commotion and then came face to face with the king 👑 of Israel - David.

David explained what had happened and then told Obed-Edom that he wanted to leave the Ark in Obed-Edom's house. Now, think about this for a moment. Let say it is your house they came to in this story. You hear that a man has just been killed for touching the Ark of the Covenant, but the king 👑 of Israel is asking you to take this Ark into your house for an unknown period. Can you imagine what your wife would say to this idea? I can just hear your wife saying, I don't want you touching that thing and dropping dead; besides, it doesn't go with our furniture or drapes at all. Besides, what if one of the children gets near it? May the presence of God around and inside you🫵 bring prosperity and increase unto you🫵 henceforth in Jesus Mighty Name 🙏.