Do you celebrate God? ... the RIGHT way? 1 Chronicles 10-14

1 Chronicles 13:8-10 (NASBStr)

David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals and with trumpets.

 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. The anger of the Lord burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God.

They above passages teaches us and is an example of how we can have a feeling of celebration with God, be filled with joy and singing and still be wrong in the way we are serving or worshiping Him.  The Ark was on a cart and David and the people were celebrating.  There was a cause for celebration.  The ark had not been in Jerusalem or sought out in the days of Saul.  David was doing what leaders do: Establishing the priority and functionality of serving God and making Him the focus point.  David actually obtained his kingship because Saul had failed to inquire of God (1 Chronicles 10:14).  So, there was great cause for a celebration.  However, David failed to remember that simply seeking God was not enough.  Being in the presence of God is not enough.   Obedience matters to God and God had told them to "carry" the Ark, always, on polls, made for carrying the Ark.   This book of Chronicles is being written to the nation who is returning to Jerusalem from being in captivity.  The purpose of the book is to remind them of who they are and how they got to where they are.   The reason for their captivity was not because they failed to celebrate and "worship" God.   They did a lot of "form" worship.  They were condemned for their form worship.   God doesn't simply want celebration of Him.  He wants it to be done in Spirit AND in Truth (John 4:24).   Truthful worship is doing what God wants the way He wants in the power of the Spirit.   The people this book was written to are soon going to be asked by Nehemiah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and by Ezra to rebuild the Temple.   The point was for them to know that no matter who you are (David) you have to obey God.   It cost Uzza his life.