Monday's Devo - You can't put the Cart before the Cow

Read 1 Sam 6:14-15
The cart brings the ark of God's presence right to the field of Joshua, which is another name for Jesus, who is a Beth-shemite (which means "house of the sun"). And it stopped in front of a great stone. I love how easy God makes it for us to know what to do. The men know exactly what God wanted them to do. They take the cart, dismantle it and use it for a sacrificial fire. They sacrifice the cows! How convenient!
And that is the whole story: God sent his presence in Jesus, down to the world (Jesus' field). Jesus is from the House of God. The whole plan is placed upon the Rock (the Word of God). This plan is the sacrificial death of Jesus which will take away the curse of sin.
Just as Jesus was the cow, the heafer, the lamb, the burnt offering, that carried the presence of God down to earth, we are the cart today that carries the presence of God wherever we go. But in order to have any power we have to be broken and put in the fire and completely burned up for God. Half-death won't do it, it has to be a total death to ourselves. A little painful, but worth the smoke.
Make our lives a sacrifice to you Lord Jesus.