In the Old Testament the most recognised symbol of God’s presence was the ark of the covenant. Wherever the ark was, God’s presence was there. But Israel allowed the Philistines to steal it. There’s an important lesson here. Satan is out to rob you of your sense of God’s presence! Israel lost the ark for one reason – disobedience. You always lose your sense of God’s presence at the point of disobedience. What is God telling you to do, or stop doing? He won’t negotiate, compromise, or overlook disobedience; you must deal with it before you can go forward. David asked, ‘How can the ark of the Lord come to me?’ because all efforts to bring it back to Israel had failed. Somebody suggested putting it on a new cart. Somebody else suggested they get Uzzah (whose name signifies strength) and Ahio (whose name denotes brotherliness) to drive the cart (see v. 3 NKJV). Most people thought this was a great plan, but God didn’t. So much for people’s opinions! David had the best of intentions, but they didn’t line up with God’s will. God had already told Israel that the ark must be carried on the shoulders of anointed priests. In other words, those who knew how to: a) walk in balance; b) walk in love and unity; c) walk in obedience. Are you getting the message? If you treasure God’s presence in your life and want to protect it, apply these principles.