Tuesday, August 29, 2017

The Leprosy of the Soul

Uzziah was smitten with leprosy.
But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar (2 Chronicles 26: 16 NLT).

It was said of King Uzziah, “He did what pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done (v. 4), yet, through pride, he became a leper to the day of his death.

Uzziah was the King, but he was not permitted to burn incense in the Temple.  This task was reserved only for the priests.  Uzziah became a mighty king, but he also became proud. He decided that his way of doing things was better than God’s. Pride leads us to disobedience and sin is not far behind.  What are the signs that we are moving toward this downward spiral?   With Uzziah, the council he once received from his advisers, he despised.  He became enraged with those who to confronted him to save him from destruction (2 Chronicles 18-19 NLT). 

The problem with this spiritual malady is that if you have it, you are oblivious to it. If you think you are humble, you probably are not. If you believe it could never happen to you? Your wrong!  To deem that conceit’s long tentacles cannot reach down into your heart, makes you more susceptible than ever.  Listening to his counselors could have saved Uzziah. What will spare you and me?  Keeping ourselves accountable, to God and then man. God always tries to warn us.  Ignore the warning and that leprosy of our soul, pride, will usher in our downfall. “Pride leads to disgrace” (Proverbs 11:2 NLT).  Such is the story of the of the once great King, Uzziah.

Image with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes the author of “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email: 
kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website:
https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/
            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com
                http://gleaningspodcast.blogspot.com



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