Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way He asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”          Mark 8:27-28
 
Jesus is a great question-asker. He asks about 309 questions throughout the Gospels, while being asked 183 questions in return. The most frustrating thing is he only directly answers about three. Instead, He loves answering questions with another question. Often, I have found that the answers are found in the questions themselves.
The first half of the Gospel of Mark hints at Jesus’ identity and the authority He possesses.  By the time He asks His disciples this inquisitive question, “Who do people say that I am?” we have seen a wide range of people’s experiences with Jesus. And something begins turning at this point in the Gospel.
Who does Herod say that He is?
He believes that Jesus is John the Baptist reincarnated. An ironic thing to see this cruel ruler who beheaded John the Baptist, claim that he believes…wait, in a resurrection?
Who do the demons say that he is?
In the previous chapters, when demons were near Jesus, they would fall down before Him and confess His identity, “You are the Son of God!” Even the demons believe in His identity.
Who does a bleeding woman say that He is?
She would say that a man who praised her faith told her that her faith has made her well of her affliction. Not the doctors that treated her. Not the religious rulers that banished her from temple worship due to her uncleanliness. The One whose robe she touched with faith enough to stop the bleed.
Who does the wind say that He is?
The wind and waves are battering a boat, and scared disciples wake up Jesus. To their surprise, He commands the wind and the waves to cease and be still. Even the wind is a witness of His authority.
Creation and created non-human beings declare the identity and point to the person of Jesus, directly or accidentally. I love the wide range of the human and non-human experience. I appreciate that the journey to discover Jesus is filled with belief, unbelief, and partial belief. The road is cluttered with misunderstanding and doubts. Quiet questions and uncertainty abound.
The art of asking questions of Jesus and conversing with the questions He asks of us might be our most ordinary and holy practice on the road to resurrection.
 
Reflection
In this season of your life, who do you say Jesus is?

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
​
One of the greatest struggles many Christians face is quietly believing that our worth is measured by what we accomplish.  We often define ourselves by our jobs, our ministry roles, our accomplishments, our productivity, or even by how much others appreciate us.  When we succeed, we feel valuable.  When we fail, we wonder if we still matter.
But the gospel tells us a very different story.

The Apostle Paul reminds us:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:8–10)

Notice the order.  Before God speaks about what we do, He tells us who we are. We are saved by grace, not by performance.  We are God's workmanship, not self-made people trying to earn His approval.  We are created in Christ Jesus, adopted into His family and deeply loved by our Heavenly Father.  Only then does Paul say we are created for good works.  In other words, our service flows from our identity; our identity is never earned by our service.

This truth is especially important in a church family.  Some faithfully serve every week.  Others may be in a season of illness, grief, unemployment, aging, or simply waiting on God.  It is easy to think that because we are doing less, we somehow mean less.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Your value has never been determined by how much you accomplish.  Your value has already been settled by the One who created you, redeemed you, and calls you His beloved child.

When Jesus was baptized, before He preached a sermon, performed a miracle, or called a disciple, the Father declared, "You are My beloved Son; with You I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11).  His identity came before His ministry.
The same gospel principle is true for us.  Because we belong to Christ, we are accepted, loved, forgiven, and treasured.  We do not serve in order to become valuable; we serve because we already are valuable in Him.

As we continue growing together as a church family, may we encourage one another not merely for what we accomplish but for who we are in Christ.  Let us serve joyfully—not to earn God's love, but because we have already received it abundantly through Jesus Christ.
If you are weary, remember who you are.
If you feel unnoticed, remember whose you are.
If you wonder whether your life matters, remember that you are God's workmanship, created intentionally and lovingly for His glory.
May our identity in Christ give us freedom from striving, confidence in His love, and joyful hearts that delight in serving Him together.

May the Lord strengthen you and remind you daily that your greatest treasure is not found in what you do, but in who you are in Jesus Christ.

Jesus in me loves you and so do I, 
Pastor Edward Song

Dear Church Family and Friends,
Grace and peace to you in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!!
As we celebrate our 38th Church Anniversary, our hearts overflow with gratitude and praise to God. For almost four decades, God has been faithful. He has guided our steps, provided for our needs, and used this body of believers to share His great love in our community and beyond. It is amazing to think about, but it was 38 years ago that a small group of people gathered together with the dream of planting a church to impact their community.
I am sure they did not know what would take place, but I am sure they had dreams and hopes for this church plant. We may never fully know the labor and struggles it took to get this fledgling work off the ground, but do know this: it DID indeed get off the ground and today continues to have an impact on our community and beyond.
This year, I invite you to reflect on our history through the powerful lens of our annual theme: Prayer. In our history, every milestone reached, every life transformed, and every obstacle overcome has been birthed in prayer. When we look back at our legacy and look forward to our future, we see how prayer connects perfectly to the words of Hebrews 12:1-2:
 
“1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
As we remember our past, we honor our founders and faithful members, the cloud of witnesses, who paved our way. They did not just build walls; they built a house of prayer. Their faithful labor, sacrificial giving, and tears built the very foundation we stand on and enjoy today. Every year of our 38-year history stands as a tangible monument to God's faithfulness in answering the cries of His people.
 
It is now our turn, sisters and brothers. Even as we give thanks for our past, we must continue to run the race marked out for us. We must let go of fear, doubt, and anything else, so that we may run unencumbered to accomplish the work of God. Through prayer, we confess, surrender, and lay down the weights and sins that slow us down spiritually. We cannot run this race with human strength. Consistent prayer is the daily fuel that grants us the endurance to keep moving forward.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus by maintaining an unceasing conversation with Him. He not only listens, but He also answers our prayers. In fact, He is the answer: The Author and Finisher of our faith.
Our 38th Anniversary is not just a look to our past; it is also the starting line for the future. There is more work to do and more lives to reach with the Gospel. As we step into our 39th year, let us commit to being a people of deeper prayer, trusting Him to direct our path and move mightily in our community. Let us run this next leg of the race together with joy, patience, and unwavering trust in our Lord.  
 
Thank you for your love, service, generosity, and dedication to our church family. Happy 38th Anniversary, FECC!
 
For His glory and His service,
David Tsai

Do you have a favorite Bible character? One who inspires you, challenges you, or one whose story you absolutely love? Perhaps it is Moses and his vast leadership skills. How about Esther, the compelling queen who, being both gorgeous and smart, used her quick thinking to help God save an entire nation? Maybe Joseph is your pick as you contemplate how someone so mistreated could continually take the high road; the road that led him not only to political power but also to family forgiveness. All of these are marvelous choices, but have you considered Enoch?
Since the time I was a young teen, Enoch has fascinated me. Not a lot is written about him in the pages of Scripture, but what is there certainly piques my interest. He “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Hmmm. My young mind pondered that strange description.
As I grew as a believer, I learned a bit more about this biblical mystery man. In Hebrews 11:5-6 we catch more of his story. “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
Enoch was whisked away, spared the pain of death, and transported immediately to God’s side all because of one simple thing. He pleased God. Simple, but not easy. It is a simple thing to please God. You do what He says in His word. Straightforward enough, right? However, all my years as a follower of Christ have taught me that simple is not always easy. Choices present themselves. The world screams at us. Our flesh gets in the way. We want revenge or our own glory. We lack faith and instead try to control our own destinies. We mess up the “pleasin’ God” part with our very own hands.
Enoch “walked with God.” I don’t know about you, but I long for that to be said of me. But I don’t always walk with God. I take a stand for God; believe the right things and make it known. I may walk after God. And sadly, sometimes I run ahead of God; make my own plans and then say, “Oh yeah, by the way God, do You mind blessing these plans? I even made them in Your name. I may have forgotten to consult You in the midst of them, but they are for You all right!” What a shame and a sham!
No two ways about it, walking with God means that we daily give up our right to navigate our own lives. We place our faith in Him, admitting He knows what is best for us and realizing He might not always reveal the hows and whys until the very last second. Sometimes, never. Remember, God is seldom early, but never late. Only day-by-day faith-walking pleases God.
Sister/brother, do you long to please God this way? One who makes Him smile as He sees you daily place complete trust in Him and His infinite wisdom? Maybe then we might be just like this Bible hero, Enoch; the one who walked so closely by our Creator’s side that one day, during one of those long walks, God looked at him and said, “You know, we’ve been walking together for so long now that we are actually closer to my house than yours. Why don’t you just come on home with me right now?” WHAT GLORY!!!
 
Dear Lord,
I am ready to learn to walk with You in faith;
not ahead of You or behind You, but right by Your side.
Show me how, step by step.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. Romans 14:6b-9
In the latter part of the letter to the Romans, Paul focuses on the “So what” of Christian faith. If God has transformed the world, if everything is cosmically different because of what Christ has done, if old divisions are healed and nothing can separate us from the love of Christ – what does that mean in our daily life?
It’s out of that context that the wonderful affirmation of our ultimate hope in Christ arises. And it arises, not in the context of a lofty doctrinal discussion, but in what we might call a matter of church order. What should we eat?
This isn’t simply a request for people to bring different things to the potluck. Eating in the first-century Roman Empire was a tricky business for Christians because the meat offered for sale in the market had usually first been sacrificed to the Roman gods as part of pagan worship. It was simply how meat got to the market. What was a Christian who believed the Roman gods were idols to do?
Paul goes on at more length about this in 1 Corinthians 8, but in both places, his argument is the same: if you want to eat the meat, eat it, because “an idol is nothing at all in the world” (1 Corinthians 8:4). But if it bothers your conscience, don’t. And those with stronger consciences should defer to the weak in this case.
Paul says, however, in this passage in Romans, all such distinctions ultimately fall away before the face of Christ. Don’t waste your time fighting over meat or the observance of certain days (Romans 14:5); remember there is a bigger mission we have signed on for. Whether we eat or abstain – in fact, whether you live to a contented old age or whether you die a martyr for the faith – we belong to Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ is not just any old powerless Roman god. He is the God who suffered for us: “For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life” (Romans 14:9).
Jesus ultimately entered the human story. He ultimately answered the violence of the way things happen in this world by submitting to it. He ultimately became, not Moses or Pharaoh or anyone else with power, but the Passover lamb whose blood was upon the doorpost. His blood saves us. He said so Himself. As we try to find our way in these confusing times – as we discern what our culture, our workplaces, and even our churches have made idols out of - we need to remember continually that Christ walks beside us everywhere. The early church laid heavy stress on the fact that during the time between His crucifixion and His resurrection, Christ actually descended to the abode of the dead to rescue all those who had died longing for His coming.
Where have you seen Christ walking beside you in your struggles and suffering? Where do you need to walk besides others who are suffering to show God’s love to them?
 
Lord Jesus, whether we live or die, we belong to You. Help us affirm that truth and live it out in our daily lives, friendships, churches, and workplaces.
Amen!

Colossians 3:12-17
Paul gives us a simple imperative in Colossians 3:13: “Bear with each other,” or simply, “Put up with each other.” “Putting up with” has to do with responding to things people do and say that are not necessarily wrong, but just displeasing to us. According to Colossians, we need to put up with things in others that we do not prefer or appreciate. This is one essential element of “putting on” the clothing of Christ as people chosen, holy, and dearly loved by God.
But when someone treats us in a wrong way, we need more than just putting up with. Paul continues, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” The word “grievance” in this case assumes that the “one grieved” has good reason to be offended. Someone has sinfully treated another. Therefore, forgiveness is required, not forbearance.
The verb translated as “forgive” (v. 13) is a Greek word closely related to the word for grace, “charis.” Why should we forgive each other? Because the Lord has forgiven us according to Colossians. God has extended grace to us through Jesus Christ, forgiving us when we were not worthy. Similarly, we are to show grace to each other.
The connection between the forgiveness we receive from the Lord and the forgiveness we give to others reminds me of a parable of Jesus. In Matthew 18:23-35, Jesus tells the story of a slave who owed a massive amount of money to his master. When the slave begged for mercy, the master forgave the huge debt. But then, when someone owed this slave a modest sum, the slave was unforgiving and threw the debtor in jail. The master, shocked by his slave’s lack of grace, handed him over to be punished. Jesus concludes, “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matt. 18:35).
Now, forgiveness does not erase the need for justice, restitution, and reconciliation. If a fellow Christian has robbed you, that person may very well serve time in jail and should endeavor to repay you. The mending of your relationship will take serious work. But our act of forgiveness is not dependent on that person’s effort to make things right. Rather, we forgive because we have been forgiven. The forgiveness we receive from the Lord is our motivation for and our model for forgiving.
Forgiveness is in short supply these days. (So is repentance, but that’s a different story.) People who have been wronged often hang onto the offense and the pain, believing that these will protect them from future hurt. When, in fact, unforgiveness wounds the one who holds it, hardening hearts and even turning one away from God’s grace. As Jesus says, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15) When we harden our hearts, we can’t receive the grace God wants to give us.
I am not saying that forgiveness is easy at all. When someone has sinned against you in a way that is painful and damaging, forgiving is indeed difficult. But God helps us to forgive. God’s Spirit will stir within us, giving us a supernatural desire to give grace to the one who hurt us. Moreover, God will help us to know who we truly are: “chosen people, holy and dearly loved” (Colossians 3:12). The more we recognize how much God cares for us, the more we have an intimate relationship with God, the more God’s love for us is poured into our hearts, the more we will be able to forgive even those whose offense can feel unforgivable.
Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian woman, along with her family, was imprisoned by the Nazis because they had been hiding Jews from detention. Corrie witnessed the death of her beloved family members and had an understandable hatred for the guards who treated them so terribly. Yet, after the war, when facing one of those guards, Corrie remembered how Christ had forgiven her and asked for help to forgive the guard. As she extended her hand to this man in obedience to God, she felt overwhelming love. Writing about this experience, she said, “And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on [Christ’s]. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself” (The Hiding Place, p. 247).
If you are struggling to forgive someone who has hurt you deeply, I understand that what I wrote here might seem simplistic and insensitive. I know how hard it is sometimes to forgive. As a pastor, I’ve prayed with many who have wrestled with forgiving the people who have greatly wronged them. I know that forgiveness is often a process that takes much time, healing, courage, and grace. Having said this, Paul tells us that we are called to forgive, even when it’s hard. Doing so unifies and strengthens the community of Christ, and it also allows us to live with greater freedom and joy as God’s chosen, holy, and beloved people.

John Calvin opens The Institutes of the Christian Religion (Book I, Chapter 1) with a profound statement:
"Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves."
This foundational truth reminds us that the beginning of the Christian life is truly knowing God.
Yet, knowing God is far more than gaining biblical knowledge or learning theological doctrines. In Book I, Chapter 2, Calvin explains that the purpose of knowing God is to lead us into piety. He describes piety as a heartfelt love for God joined with reverence and awe toward Him. The more we know God's holiness, righteousness, faithfulness, mercy, and grace, the more we are moved to worship Him, trust Him, obey Him, and give Him all the glory.
Today, we live in an age overflowing with information. People pursue knowledge, skills, and achievements, yet often neglect the most important pursuit of all—knowing God. We may know many Bible stories, attend church faithfully, and even serve in ministry, but still fail to cultivate a personal and intimate relationship with Him. If our faith remains only in our minds and never reaches our hearts, it can easily become mere religion without the transforming power of true devotion.
Moreover, the more we know God, the more we come to know ourselves. As we behold His holiness, we recognize our own sinfulness and limitations. As we experience His grace, we become more humble and grateful. As we come to know Him as our loving and faithful Father, we learn to trust Him even in difficult times, walking by faith rather than by sight.
May we make knowing God the highest pursuit of our lives. Through daily Scripture reading, prayer, and meditation on His Word, may we grow in a deeper relationship with Him. Let us seek not merely greater knowledge, but greater piety—not merely to know about God, but to love Him, revere Him, obey Him, and glorify Him in every area of our lives. As we do so, our lives will reflect His character and become a blessing to those around us.
"Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord." (Hosea 6:3, ESV) 
 
May this be the lifelong pursuit of every believer.

Psalm 1; John 15:5
Psalm 1 promises that the person who delights in the Law of the Lord is like a tree planted by streams of water. The imagery used to describe such people is that they are “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaves do not wither. Whatever they do, prospers” (v. 3). Psalm 1 is speaking figuratively. People who delight in the Law of God are not actual trees literally planted by streams of water. Rather, they are in some way deeply connected to God.
We would rightly think of Jesus as we consider this connection. For example, Jesus is the dwelling place of God in an even more dramatic and literal sense than the temple was for the Jewish people (John 1:14). Jesus was the Word (Logos) made flesh, and He came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it. Moreover, it is through Jesus and His sacrifice that we receive God’s forgiveness, rather than through material sacrifices made in a material temple. If we want to flourish, we need to have our roots grow deeply into Jesus, so to speak.
So, where should we be “planted” if we want to flourish in life? Where do we put down our spiritual roots, so to speak, if we want to be truly and intimately connected to God?
Jesus did not use the analogy of trees and roots to describe our relationship with Him. He did, however, employ a related agricultural image. In John 15, Jesus spoke of Himself as the vine, with us as the branches (15:5). He promised that if we abide in Him, that is, if we are deeply engaged with and connected to Him, we will bear much fruit. He might have just as well said, “If you are deeply rooted in Me, you will flourish.”
In John 15, Jesus indicated what we might do if we desire to abide in Him. In v. 7, He said, “If you abide in Me and my words abide in you . . . .” One way we abide in Jesus is by having His words live within us. We do this by reading, reflecting upon, memorizing, discussing, teaching, and obeying His teachings.
Jesus also said, “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you keep My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love” (15:9-10). Jesus invites us to live in His love. We do this, in part, by keeping His commandments, by living as He taught us to live. But that’s not all. We make our home in Jesus’s love as we spend time with Him in prayer, share life with other “branches,” and remember regularly His loving sacrifice for us on the cross.
So, to employ the language of Psalm 1, one way we will be like trees planted by streams of water is by developing an intimate, growing relationship with Jesus. We allow His teachings to live within us and guide our lives. We allow His love to claim us, fill us, and embrace us. The more we live in the truth and love of Jesus, the more we will flourish, living fully and fruitfully. In other words, we take delight in the Living Word of God.
 
Reflection
As you think about your life, where are you “planted”?
What helps you to know Jesus better so that you may delight in Him?

11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
Happy Father’s Day. In today’s world, moms and dads often overlap in their parental roles. It wasn’t like that in the first century A.D. of the Roman world. Mothers and fathers had quite distinct roles. Mothers were to nurture young children. Fathers were responsible for their children's education, including their moral development as they got older. In fact, until 390 A.D., Roman law prohibited women from being their children's legal tutors. Whereas mothers were encouraged to treat their children gently, fathers assumed the roles of demanding coach and stern disciplinarian.
Sometimes, popular philosophers compared themselves to fathers to their students. In fact, some even chose not to have children of their own because they regarded their students as their children. As a “father,” the philosopher needed to be tough, even to the point of “reviling” his students to get them to change their ways.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, Paul and Co. speak of themselves and their apostolic work using the simile of fatherhood, not unlike other philosophers of their day. But what Paul and his colleagues do with this simile is unique. For one thing, they are not just fathers in a generic sense. Rather, they are like a father who “deals with his own children” (2:11). This language is similar to v. 7, in which they portray themselves as “nursing mother cares for her children.” Whether in a motherly or a fatherly role, Paul and his associates felt a deeply personal bond with each of their spiritual “children.”
When acting as fathers to the Thessalonians, the apostolic team did not revile their converts as popular philosophers did. Instead, they were “encouraging, comforting and urging [them] to live lives worthy of God” (2:12). The three Greek verbs in this sentence – translated here as “encouraging, comforting, urging” – have roughly the same meaning in Greek. None suggests harsh speech or vigorous censure. Rather, all three verbs express supportive, empowering, and encouraging ways. Even when thinking of themselves in the role of father, the pastors to the Thessalonians have not abandoned their earlier posture of tender, motherly care.
What I read in 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 reminds me of the book “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott. After graduating from Harvard Business School, Scott worked as an executive coach for several tech companies, including Dropbox, Twitter, Apple, and Google. She understands that managers are responsible for producing exceptional results. But she also insists that effective managers care for people personally. She writes, “It’s not enough to care only about people’s ability to perform a job. To have a good relationship, you have to be your whole self and care about each of the people who work for you as a human being. It’s not just business; it is personal, and deeply personal. I call this dimension ‘Care Personally.’” What we see in 1 Thessalonians, therefore, isn’t relevant only to church planters and pastors. It informs and encourages all of us to care for the people in our lives: our children, coworkers, and friends. Especially those whom we have the privilege of leading or managing.
I want to invite you to reflect upon the following questions. Do you care for those in your life in a personal way? Why or why not? How can you care for your children personally and still hold them accountable for what is required of them in life?
Take time to reflect on how you might imitate Paul's and his colleagues' examples by encouraging the people entrusted to your care in practical ways.
 
Pray
Gracious God, may I be a true source of encouragement and empowerment. If I need to give a word of correction at home, at work, in church, and in my neighborhood, may I do so with honesty and kindness. May I treat people with the same grace with which You have treated me. Amen.

“They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. 5David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals. When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7The 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 6:3-7)
In modern Chinese, the word niu (“ox” or “bull”) has come to mean something powerful, impressive, or exceptional. A soaring stock market is called a “bull market.” Someone who seems capable of solving every problem is called a “bull person.” And what would you call a particularly powerful vehicle? A “bull cart.”
It turns out that in the Old Testament, the ox likewise symbolized strength and power. The golden calf in Exodus and the ox-cart in this passage from Samuel reflect the same human tendency: our long-standing admiration for power.
It is therefore not surprising that although God had clearly instructed in Numbers 4:1–15 that the Ark of the Covenant was to be carried by the descendants of Kohath on their shoulders, David still allowed Abinadab’s sons to transport it on an ox-cart. After all, 1 Samuel 6 records how the Philistines used an ox-cart to return the Ark. I do not believe David acted out of a lack of love or reverence for God. Rather, perhaps his reasoning was something like this:
“If even our enemies used an ox-cart to transport the Ark of God, how could I possibly use something as primitive as human shoulders?”
David cared about appearances. He trusted his own judgment. He longed to offer God the very best presentation possible. Naturally, the most efficient and impressive means available at the time seemed to be the ox-cart. Much like how we may be tempted today to use AI to write sermons, complete assignments, or answer people’s questions. AI is incredibly powerful. It is, in a sense, the ultimate “bull cart.”
Yet this passage reminds us of something important: When people are searching for the most impressive method, God is searching for people after His own heart. When people are focused on accomplishing a task well, God is focused on shaping a person after His own heart.
As I reflected on this passage during my devotional time, I found myself praying:
“Lord, when I serve, remind me that my goal is not merely to do things well, avoid criticism, or keep from inconveniencing others. I want to do them for You.
The moment we who serve God begin using AI to replace prayer, meditation, reflection, and presence with people, we have begun placing the Ark of God on an ox-cart. We are no longer carrying it as Levites—bearing the honor, the privilege, and even the sweat that comes with the sacred responsibility of bringing God’s presence to His people.
I can hardly imagine a cart more powerful than AI. Yet in God’s eyes, human beings remain irreplaceable. The most precious things in life always carry a measure of holy foolishness. Once everything is subjected to excessive calculation—especially calculations of personal gain and loss—it loses much of its value. The exception is when our careful consideration is motivated by another person’s good rather than our own convenience.
We must be careful to distinguish between effectiveness and efficiency. Ministry must first ask the question of effectiveness, not efficiency. Effectiveness seeks the greatest good of the other person and may not count the cost. Efficiency seeks to balance input and output, constantly calculating what can be gained with the least effort expended. Lord, have mercy on me.”
May you and I come before God not offering Him the strongest cart, but a heart willing to carry the things that matter most. Amen.